Abstract
In order to induce chromodacryorrhea observed in pantothenic acid-deficient rats and also to obtain informations on the regulation of porphyrin biosynthetic pathway in the rat Harderian gland, the effect of hepatic porphyria-inducing chemicals, especially chlorinated benzenes, on porphyrin biosynthetic pathway in the Harderian gland of rat was examined and the following results were obtained. None of the chemicals tested induced the expected chromodacryorrhea. The rat Harderian gland was resistant to the induction of δ-aminolevulinic acid (ALA)-synthetase by hepatic porphyria-inducing chemicals, expected for a few compounds such as lower CB compounds. There was a remarkable difference between the Harderian gland and the liver in the responsiveness of ALA-synthetase and ALA-dehydratase to hepatic porphyria-inducing chemicals.
