A novel therapeutic trial of homogentisic aciduria in a murine model of alkaptonuria.

Alkaptonuria is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by homogentisic aciduria, ochronosis, and arthritis. Although a deficiency of homogentisic acid 1,2-dioxygenase has recently been confirmed at the molecular level, no effective treatment regimen has yet been developed for this disorder. In the present study, 2(2-nitro-4-trifluoromethylbenzoyl)-1,3-cyclohexanedione (NTBC), a potent inhibitor of p-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (which catalyzes the formation of homogentisic acid from p-hydroxyphenylpyruvic acid) was adopted as a possible therapeutic agent for alkaptonuria. NTBC dose-dependently reduced the urinary output of homogentisic acid in a murine model of alkaptonuria that had been created with ethylnitrosourea. These findings suggest that NTBC may be the first potent pharmacotherapeutic agent for alkaptonuria.