The effect of an oral load of phenylalanine (100 mg/kg body weight) on the levels of neopterin and biopterin in urine has been determined in 8 heterozygotes for classical phenylketonuria and 25 supposed normal controls. In basal conditions, neopterin and biopterin levels were significantly different between males and females. A significant increase in urinary biopterin was found two hours after the phenylalanine load, both in heterozygotes and in normal homozygotes. This increase was maintained at least until the fourth hour. Neopterin levels did not suffer any change during that period. Comparison of urinary pteridines from normal controls and phenylketonuria carriers showed that there were no significant differences between both groups neither before nor after the phenylalanine load. From these data we concluded that measurement of biopterin and neopterin in urine cannot help in the identification of heterozygotes for phenylketonuria.
