Accumulation of Protoporphyrin Isomers I and III, and Multiple Decarboxylation Products of Uroporphyrin in a Case of Porphyria in a Slaughtered Pig

Abstract

Summary Pathological and biochemical examinations were made on tissues from a case of porphyria in a slaughtered pig. Bones, kidneys, teeth and lymph nodes showed a mahogany discoloration. Histologically, the pigment was negative on staining for iron (Gomori) and showed a strong red‐orange fluorescence under UV light proving it to be porphyrin. Biochemical studies on the kidney, lymph nodes, bone and bone marrow revealed a 'mixed' erythropoietic protoporphyria‐coproporphyria. This indicates that the case presented probably represented both a uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase and uroporphyrinogen‐III‐cosynthase dysfunction.

Pathology in Practice

“…9 The congenital form of the disease is caused by an inherited defect of uroporphyrinogen III cosynthase. 6 Congenital and acquired forms of porphyria in cattle, [10][11][12] swine, 13,14 sheep, 15 dogs, 5,9 cats, 4,6,16-18 fox squirrels, 19 and mice 20 have been described. Although most forms of porphyria are inherited, acquired forms (ie, experimentally induced with drugs or chemicals) of porphyria have been established in dogs, 9 calves, 21 Figure 2-Photographs of a femur from a healthy 2-month-old kitten that died following blunt force trauma (control specimen; A) and a femur from the kitten in Figure 1 (B and C).…”

Distribution of Protoporphyrin in Female Broiler Chickens Affected with Protoporphyria

“…It has been reported in various animals and humans [8,12,15,16]. There are several different types of enzyme defect in the heme synthetic pathway [12].…”