STUDIES OF THE DIPYRRYLMETHENE (“FUSCIN”) PIGMENTS. I. THE ANABOLIC SIGNIFICANCE OF THE FECAL MESOBILIFUSCIN*

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Abstract
The relation of fecal dipyrrylmethene compounds or mesobilifuscin to hemoglobin metabolism has been investigated in 4 human subjects with the aid of N15 labeled glycine. The modification employed of Siedel and Moller''s method of partial purification of mesobilifuscin included preliminary removal of urobilinogen to prevent addition by oxidative schism to the preformed dipyrrylmethene moiety. In contrast to the incorporation of N15 in stercobilin, there is no significant concentration of N15 in mesobilifuscin at the time of destruction of mature circulating erythrocytes. An early N15 mesobilifuscin peak which often precedes the early stercobilin N15 peak is seen. These results indicate that mesobilifuscin is mainly anabolic in origin rather than a product of hemoglobin breakdown.