Distribution of tryptophan metabolites in the organs of mice

After intravenous injection of tryptophan-U-14C into mice, the radioactivities of carcinogenic tryptophan metabolites in the organs were determined. Kynurenine, 3-hydroxykynurenine, 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid and xanthurenic acid in the liver, pancreas, kidneys and bladder were separated by thin layer chromatography and the radioactivity of each metabolite was counted. The radioactivities of xanthurenic acid were 25-80, 50-115, 200-480 and 170-370 nCi/g in the pancreas, liver, kidneys and bladder, respectively. The radioactivities were in the order xanthurenic acid>kynurenine>3-hydroxykynurenine and 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid in every organ. The radioactivity of xanthurenic acid was especially high in the kidneys and bladder.