Extracellular metabolism of nucleotides in neuroblastoma x glioma NG108-15 cells determined by capillary electrophoresis

1. The metabolism of extracellular nucleotides in NG108-15 cells, a neuroblastoma × glioma hybrid cell line, was studied by means of capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) and micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography (MECC).2. In NG108-15 cells ATP, ADP, AMP, UTP, UDP, and UMP were hydrolyzed to the nucleosides adenosine and uridine indicating the presence of ecto-nucleotidases and ecto-phosphatases. The hydrolysis of the purine nucleotides ATP and ADP was significantly faster than the hydrolysis of the pyrimidine nucleotides UTP and UDP.3. ATP and UTP breakdown appeared to be mainly due to an ecto-nucleotide- diphosphohydrolase. ADP, but not UDP, was initially also phosphorylated to some extent to the corresponding triphosphate, indicating the presence of an adenylate kinase on NG108-15 cells. The alkaline phosphatase (ALP) inhibitor levamisole did not only inhibit the hydrolysis of AMP to adenosine and of UMP to uridine, but also the degradation of ADP and to a larger extent that of UDP. ATP and UTP degradation was only slightly inhibited by levamisole.4. These results underscore the important role of ecto-alkaline phosphatase in the metabolism of adenine as well as uracil nucleotides in NG108-15 cells. Dipyridamole, a potent inhibitor of nucleotide breakdown in superior cervical ganglion cells, had no effect on nucleotide degradation in NG108-15 cells.5. Dipyridamole, which is a therapeutically used nucleoside reuptake inhibitor in humans, reduced the extracellular adenosine accumulation possibly by allosteric enhancement of adenosine reuptake into the cells.     

Analysis of adenine nucleotides at the picomole level with 32P-phosphoenolpyruvate and pyruvate kinase.

A new sensitive method for adenine nucleotide analysis is described. The key reaction is the phosphorylation of ADP by [³²P]PEP in a reaction catalyzed by pyruvate kinase, with the extent of transfer of ³²P to ADP being determined by adsorbing the nucleotides onto charcoal. The nonadenine nucleoside diphosphates which also react in the pyruvate kinase reaction are corrected for by determining the ³²P retained in the nucleotide fraction after a second incubation with hexokinase and excess glucose. ATP is determined as ADP, after it is quantitatively converted by hexokinase in the presence of excess glucose. Similarly, AMP is analyzed by its conversion to ADP in an incubation with excess ATP and adenylate kinase. The sensitivity of the method for ADP and ATP is 0.05–0.5 pmoles while for AMP it is 5 pmoles.     

Acid-soluble purine and pyrimidine derivatives of growing, encysting and encystment-inhibited amoebae

The intracellular acid-soluble purine and pyrimidine derivatives of myxamoebae-swarm cells of Physarum flavicomum were investigated during growth, microcyst formation, and during adenine-inhibition of encystment, using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). We also studied the incorporation of exogenous radioactive adenine into the acid soluble purine derivatives and S-adenosyl-sulphur compounds separated by HPLC. The most abundant ribonucleoside monophosphate was AMP in the growing and 15 h encysting cells (NC), while it was UMP in the 15 h adenine-inhibited cells (AIC). ADP was the nucleoside diphosphate present in the greatest quantity in the growing and NC cells but it was CDP in the AIC. The nucleoside triphosphate in highest concentration was ATP, UTP, and GTP in growing, NC, and AIC, respectively. Guanosine was the most abundant nucleoside in all cells. The nucleobase occurring in greatest concentration was cytosine, cytosine and guanine, and adenine in the growing, NC, and AIC, respectively. The AMP content in the 15 h AIC was 2.1-fold higher than that of adenosine. The 15 h NC had the lowest adenylate energy charge, a value of 0.54 +/- 0.02, while the values for growing cells and the AIC were 0.62 +/- 0.02 and 0.76 +/- 0.01, respectively. [14C]-Adenine labelling studies (15 h) revealed the occurrence of purine nucleotide interconversion, as the label was detected not only in adenosine, AMP, ADP, ATP, but also in guanine, guanosine, GMP, GDP, GTP, as well as, in inosine monophosphate and xanthosine monophosphate. The percentage incorporation of the radiolabelled adenine into AMP was higher than into adenosine. An increased intracellular level of guanine nucleotides is associated with the inhibition of encystment. The extracellular adenine, rather than internal adenine sources, appears to be the primary precursor of nucleotide for S-adenosylmethionine synthesis during adenine-inhibition of encystment.     

Transport of AMP by Rickettsia prowazekii.

Rickettsia prowazekii possesses an exchange transport system for AMP. Chromatographic analysis of the rickettsiae demonstrated that transported AMP appeared intracellularly as AMP, ADP, and ATP, and no hydrolytic products appeared in either the intracellular or extracellular compartments. The phosphorylation of AMP to ADP and ATP was prevented by pretreatment of the cells with 1 mM N-ethylmaleimide without inhibiting the transport of AMP. Although no efflux was demonstrable in the absence of nucleotide in the medium, the intracellular adenine nucleotide pool could be exchanged with external unlabeled adenine nucleotides. Both ADP and ATP were as effective as AMP at inhibiting the uptake of [3H]AMP. Although this transport system was inhibited by low temperature (0 degrees C) and partially inhibited by the protonophore carbonyl cyanide-m-chlorophenyl hydrazone (1 mM), it was relatively insensitive to KCN (1 mM). The uptake of AMP at 34 degrees C had an apparent Kt for influx of 0.4 mM and a Vmax of 354 pmol min-1 per mg. At 0 degrees C there was a very rapid and unsaturable association of AMP with these organisms. Correction of the uptake data at 34 degrees C for the 0 degrees C component lowered the apparent Kt to 0.15 mM. Both magnesium and phosphate ions are required for optimal transport activity. Chemical measurements of the total intracellular nucleotide pools demonstrated that this system was not a net adenine nucleotide transport system, but that uptake of AMP was the result of an exchange with internal adenine nucleotides.     

Nucleoside triphosphate synthesis catalysed by adenylate kinase is ADP dependent

Adenylate kinase (Adk) that catalyses the synthesis of ADP from ATP and AMP has also been shown to perform an ATP dependent phosphorylation of ribo- and deoxynucleoside diphosphates to their corresponding nucleoside triphosphate; ATP+(d)NDP<-->ADP+(d)NTP. This reaction, suggested to occur by the transfer of the gamma-phosphoryl from ATP to the nucleoside diphosphate, is overall similar to that normally carried out by nucleoside diphosphate kinase (Ndk). Accordingly, Adk was proposed to be responsible for residual Ndk-like activity measured in a mutant strain of Escherichia coli, where the ndk gene was disrupted. We present data supporting a mechanism for the synthesis of nucleoside triphosphates by Adk that unlike the previously suggested mechanism mentioned above are in complete agreement with the current knowledge about the Adk enzyme and its various catalytic properties. We propose that nucleoside triphosphate synthesis occurs by beta-phosphoryl transfer from ADP to any bound nucleoside diphosphate. Our results point to the fact that the proposed Ndk-like mechanism of Adk originated from an erroneous interpretation of data, in that contamination of ATP preparations with AMP and ADP was not taken into account. Our results also address the proposed role of Adk in restoring a normal growth rate of mutant strains of E. coli lacking Ndk. These mutant strains apparently, in spite of a mutator phenotype, are able to synthesise nucleoside triphosphates by alternative pathways to maintain the same growth rate as the wildtype.     

Relationship of the intra- and extramitochondrial adenine nucleotide ratios during synthesis of phosphoenolpyruvate using extramitochondrial ATP

Mitochondria prepared from the livers of guinea pig, chicken, and pigeon all actively synthesize phosphoenolpyruvate from oxalacetate and GTP, utilizing phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase. It was previously shown (Wilson, D. F., Erecińska, M., and Schramm, V. L. (1983). J. Biol. Chem. 258, 10464-10473) that phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase is freely reversible and that, in conjunction with nucleoside diphosphate kinase and malate dehydrogenase, which are also present in the mitochondria, it can be used to measure the intramitochondrial [ATPfree]/[ADPfree]. In this study, synthesis of phosphoenolpyruvate by guinea pig liver mitochondria was studied under conditions for which the only source of GTP was extramitochondrial ATP via adenine nucleotide translocase and nucleoside diphosphate kinase (the mitochondria were treated with rotenone, oligomycin, uncoupler, and fluorocitrate). When the extramitochondrial [ATP]/[ADP] was greater than the intramitochondrial [ATPfree]/[ADPfree] calculated from the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase reaction, there was net synthesis of phosphoenolpyruvate, but when it was less, there was net disappearance of phosphoenolpyruvate. Thus, the intramitochondrial [ATPfree]/[ADPfree] was equal to the extramitochondrial value at the point of reversal of the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase reaction. This equality of the intra- and extramitochondrial adenine nucleotide ratios occurred with a measured mitochondrial membrane potential of approximately -36 mV, whereas in the previous experiments, equality was observed for conditions in which the measured membrane potential was -111 to -125 mV. Thus, adenine nucleotide translocation was not dependent on the transmembrane electrical potential and must, therefore, have occurred by electroneutral exchange.     

Energy-linked Adenosine Diphosphate Accumulation by Corn Mitochondria: I. General Characteristics and Effect of Inhibitors

Corn mitochondria show respiration-linked net accumulation of [³H]ADP in the presence of phosphate and magnesium, especially if the formation of ATP is blocked with oligomycin. Inhibition of ADP-ATP exchange by carboxyatractyloside also activates ADP accumulation, and addition of carboxyatractyloside or palmitoyl-coenzyme A to oligomycin-blocked mitochondria produces additional ADP uptake. With carboxyatractyloside the accumulated ADP is phosphorylated to ATP. With oligomycin, only a little ATP is formed. Millimolar concentrations of ADP are required for maximum uptake, and the K_m (3.77 millimolar) for ADP translocation is independent of whether oligomycin or carboxyatractyloside is used. This is not true for ADP concentrations in the 0.05 to 0.25 millimolar range. Accumulated [³H]ADP rapidly exchanges with unlabeled AMP, ADP, or ATP, but not with other diphosphate nucleotides or 2 millimolar substrate anions. [³H]AMP is not accumulated, but [³H]ATP is accumulated to about one-half the extent of [³H]ADP. Tricarboxylate substrates inhibit ADP net uptake, and inhibition by citrate is competitive with K_i = 10 millimolar. The evidence suggests the presence of a pathway, carboxyatractyloside-insensitive and different from the translocase, which operates to maintain adenine nucleotides in the matrix.     

Regulation of oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria of epididymal bull spermatozoa

The regulation of oxidative phosphorylation was studied with digitonin-treated epididymal bull spermatozoa in which mitochondria are directly accessible to low molecular compounds in the extracellular medium. Due to the high extramitochondrial ATPase activity in this cell preparation, it was possible to stimulate respiration to a small extent only by added hexokinase in the presence of glucose and adenine nucleotides. Added pyruvate kinase plus phosphoenol pyruvate, however, strongly suppressed the respiration. Under these conditions, the respiration was found to depend on the extramitochondrial [ATP]/[ADP] ratio in the range of 1-100. The contribution of the adenine nucleotide translocator to this dependence was determined by titration with the irreversible inhibitor carboxyatractyloside in the presence of ADP. Using lactate plus malate as substrate, the active state respiration was controlled to about 30% by the translocator, whereas 12 and 4% were determined in the presence of L-glycerol-3-phosphate and malate alone, respectively. In order to compare the results with those for intact cells, the adenine nucleotide patterns were determined in intact and digitonin-treated spermatozoa under conditions of controlled respiration in the presence of vanadate and carboxyatractyloside, respectively. About 21% of total cellular adenine nucleotides were found in digitonin-treated cells representing the mitochondrial compartment. While allowing for the intramitochondrial amount of adenine nucleotides, the cytosolic [ATP]/[ADP] ratio was estimated to be 6-times higher than the mitochondrial ratio in intact cells. It is concluded from the data presented that the principal mechanism by which oxidative phosphorylation in sperm mitochondria is regulated via the extramitochondrial [ATP]/[ADP] ratio is the same as that demonstrated for other isolated mitochondria.     

Adenine nucleotide translocation in plant mitochondria

The rapid translocation of external ADP-[^14C]by corn mitochondria is inhibited by high concentrations of atractyloside with enhanced inhibition occurring in the presence of Mg²⁺. This translocation is also inhibited by AMP or ATP but CDP, GDP, IDP or UDP have little effect. Backward exchange of internal ADP-[¹⁴C] occurs in the presence of AMP, ADP or ATP but is not promoted by other nucleoside diphosphates. It is suggested that the adenine nucleotide (AdN) carrier is specific for ADP and ATP and that apparent translocation of AMP is a result of adenylate kinase activity. The translocated ADP can be separated into 3 components: (1) atractyloside-insensitive binding; (2) carrier-bound ADP saturated at ca 30 μM external ADP; and (3) exchanged ADP saturated as ca 5 μM external ADP. It is suggested that the adenine nucleotide carrier of plant mitochondria possesses similar properties to the classical carrier of vertebrate mitochondria.     

Approaches to the measurement of intracellular adenine and the discrimination between adenine transport and metabolism in L1210 leukemia cells

Incubation of L1210 leukemia cells with 10 μM [³H]adenine in the absence of energy substrate results in a very rapid accumulation of ³H within the cells. By 20 s intracellular adenine is near steady-state; beyond this the rate of accumulation of intracellular ³H reflects nucleotide synthesis, predominantly the rate of ATP accumulation within the cell as determined by liquid chromatography. Adenine incorporation into the nucleotides proceeds via adenine-phosphoribosyl transferase, which is rate-limiting to AMP formation and subsequently the formation of ADP and ATP. Acceleration of this pathway by the addition of glucose and phosphate decreases the intracellular adenine level far below equilibrium as metabolism is increased relative to transport. Assessment of methodology to evaluate intracellular adenine and its metabolites indicates that (i) a 4°C wash removes the major portion of intracellular adenine and (ii) at 4°C, transport of adenine remains rapid and while nucleotide synthesis is decreased, ATP still accumulates within the cell. Hence, measurement of cellular uptake of radioactive label at 4°C after cells are washed free of adenine cannot be used as a measurement of adenine surface binding since this radioactive label represents, at least in part, phosphorylated derivatives of adenine within the cell. Unlabeled adenine and structurally related compounds were found to inhibit [³H]adenine net uptake under conditions where metabolism of adenine was reduced, suggesting that base transport is mediated by a facilitated diffusion mechanism. This is consistent with other studies from this laboratory that demonstrate exchange diffusion between adenine and other bases.     

Free pyrimidine nucleotide pool of Ehrlich ascites-tumour cells. Characteristics related to quantitative studies of RNA metabolism

The atractyloside-insensitive accumulation of adenine nucleotides by rat liver mitochondria (as opposed to the exchange-diffusion catalysed by the adenine nucleotide translocase) has been measured by using the luciferin/luciferase assay as well as by measuring [14C]ATP uptake. In foetal rat liver mitochondria ATP is accumulated more rapidly than ADP, whereas AMP is not taken up. The uptake of ATP occurs against a concentration gradient, and the rate of ATP uptake is greater in foetal than in adult rat liver mitochondria. The accumulated [14C]ATP is shown to be present within the mitochondrial matrix space and is freely available to the adenine nucleotide translocase for exchange with ATP present in the external medium. The uptake is specific for ATP and ADP and is not inhibited by adenosine 5'-[beta gamma-imido] triphosphate, GTP, CTP, cyclic AMP or Pi, whereas dATP and AMP do inhibit ATP accumulation. The ATP accumulation is also inhibited by carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone, KCN and mersalyl but is insensitive to atractyloside. The ATP uptake is concentration-dependent and exhibits Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The divalent cations Mg2+ and Ca2+ greatly enhance ATP accumulation, and the presence of hexokinase inhibits the uptake of ATP by foetal rat liver mitochondria. These latter effects provide an explanation for the low adenine nucleotide content of foetal rat liver mitochondria and the rapid increase that occurs in the mitochondrial adenine nucleotide concentration in vivo immediately after birth.     

Secretory mechanisms. Behaviour of adenine nucleotides during the platelet release reaction induced by adenosine diphosphate and adrenaline

1. Platelets containing adenine nucleotides labelled with ³H and ¹⁴C in vitro were aggregated biphasically with ADP and adrenaline. Amounts of ATP and ADP as well as the radioactivity of ATP, ADP, AMP, IMP, hypoxanthine and adenine were determined in platelets and plasma at different stages of aggregation. 2. ATP and ADP were released during the second aggregation phase and had a low specific radioactivity compared with the ATP and ADP retained by the cells. The specific radioactivity of intracellular nucleotides increased during release. The parameters observed with ADP and adrenaline as release inducers were the same as for collagen and thrombin. 3. Release induced by all four inducers was accompanied by conversion of cellular [³H]ATP into extracellular [³H]-hypoxanthine. By variation of temperature, inducer concentration, time after blood withdrawal and use of acetylsalicylic acid, the aggregation pattern caused by adrenaline and ADP could be made mono- or bi-phasic. Release or second-phase aggregation was intimately connected with the ATP–hypoxanthine conversion, whereas first phase aggregation was not. 4. The [³H]ATP–hypoxanthine conversion started immediately after ADP addition. With adrenaline it usually started with the appearance of the second aggregation phase. The conversion was present during first phase of ADP-induced aggregation only if a second phase were to follow. 5. When secondary aggregation took place while radioactive adenine was being taken up by the platelets, increased formation of labelled hypoxanthine still occurred, but there was either no change or an increase in the concentration of labelled ATP. 6. Biphasically aggregated platelets converted [³H]adenine more rapidly into [³H]-ATP and -hypoxanthine than non-aggregated platelets. Addition of [³H]adenine at different stages of biphasic aggregation showed that more [³H]hypoxanthine was formed during than after the release step. 7. We conclude that ADP and adrenaline, like thrombin and collagen, cause extrusion of non-metabolic granula-located platelet adenine nucleotides. During release metabolic ATP breaks down to hypoxanthine, and this process might reflect an ATP-requiring part of the release reaction.     

Human airway ecto-adenylate kinase. A mechanism to propagate ATP signaling on airway surfaces

Mechanically induced ATP release from human airway epithelial cells regulates mucociliary clearance through cell surface nucleotide receptors. Ectoenzymes detected on these cells were recently shown to terminate ATP-mediated responses by sequential dephosphorylation of extracellular ATP into ADP, AMP, and adenosine. We now demonstrate that an ecto-adenylate kinase (ecto-AK) contributes to the metabolism of adenine nucleotides on human airway epithelial surfaces by the reversible reaction: ATP + AMP 2ADP. This phosphotransferase exhibited a bilateral distribution on polarized primary cultures of human bronchial epithelial cells with a 4-fold higher activity on the mucosal surface. Ecto-AK presented an absolute requirement for magnesium and adenine-based nucleotides. UMP, GMP, and CMP could not substitute for AMP as gamma-phosphate acceptor, and UDP could not replace ADP. Apparent K(m) and V(max) values were 23 +/- 5 microM and 1.1 +/- 0.1 nmol x min(-1) x cm(-2) for ATP and 43 +/- 6 microM and 0.5 +/- 0.1 nmol x min(-1) x cm(-2) for ADP. Ecto-AK accounted for 20% of [gamma-(32)P]ATP dephosphorylation, and the impermeant AK inhibitor, diadenosine pentaphosphate, reduced ADPase activity by more than 70% on both epithelial surfaces. Time course experiments on ATP metabolism demonstrated that ecto-AK significantly prolongs effective ATP and ADP concentrations on airway epithelial surfaces for P2 receptor signaling and reduces by 6-fold adenosine production. Our data suggest a role for this nucleotide entrapment cycle in the propagation of purine-mediated mucociliary clearance on human airway epithelial surfaces.     

Turnover and Storage of Newly Synthesized Adenine Nucleotides in Bovine Adrenal Medullary Cell Cultures

The adenine nucleotide stores of cultured adrenal medullary cells were radiolabeled by incubating the cells with 32Pi and [3H]adenosine and the turnover, subcellular distribution, and secretion of the nucleotides were examined. ATP represented 84-88% of the labeled adenine nucleotides, ADP 11-13%, and AMP 1-3%. The turnover of 32P-adenine nucleotides and 3H-nucleotides was biphasic and virtually identical; there was an initial fast phase with a t1/2 of 3.5-4.5 h and a slow phase with a half-life varying from 7 to 17 days, depending upon the particular cell preparation. The t1/2 of the slow phase for labeled adenine nucleotides was the same as that for the turnover of labeled catecholamines. The subcellular distribution of labeled adenine nucleotides provides evidence that there are at least two pools of adenine nucleotides which make up the component with the long half-life. One pool, which contains the bulk of endogenous nucleotides (75% of the total), is present within the chromaffin vesicles; the subcellular localization of the second pool has not been identified. The studies also show that [3H]ATP and [32P]ATP are distributed differently within the cell; 3 days after labeling 75% of the [32P]ATP was present in chromaffin vesicles while only 35% of the [3H]ATP was present in chromaffin vesicles. Evidence for two pools of ATP with long half-lives and for the differential distribution of [32P]ATP and [3H]ATP was also obtained from secretion studies. Stimulation of cell cultures with nicotine or scorpion venom 24 h after labeling with [3H]adenosine and 32Pi released relatively twice as much catecholamine as 32P-labeled compounds and relatively three times as much catecholamine as 3H-labeled compounds.     

The incorporation of 32Pi into intramitochondrial ADP fraction dependent on the substrate-level phosphorylation

1. A significant amount of ³²P_i is incorporated into ADP fraction if mitochondrial phosphorylation is allowed to proceed solely dependent on the endogenous adenine nucleotides even in the absence of uncouplers or inhibitors of oxidative phosphorylation. This formation of [³²P]ADP is accompanied by a significant labelling of the GTP fraction as well as by a decrease in mitochondrial AMP.2. A good correlation, highly significant on a statistical basis, is obtained between the incorporation of ³²P_i into ADP on the one hand and the oxidation of [1-¹⁴C]glutamate to ¹⁴CO₂ on the other, under a wide variety of conditions of respiration, suggesting that the substrate-level phosphorylation linked to the oxidation of 2-oxoglutarate leads to the phosphorylation of AMP in rat liver mitochondria.3. Since intramitochondrial GTP is not directly labelled by the [³²P]ATP added, it is concluded that neither nucleoside diphosphokinase (ATP:nucleoside diphosphate phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.4.6) nor adenylate kinase (ATP:AMP phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.4.3) is functioning in such an EDTA-containing medium as employed in the present study because of lack of the enzymes inside the inner membrane. This not only indicates that ATP never serves as a phosphate donor for the observed phosphorylation of AMP, but also, along with several other lines of evidence, lends strong support to the view that [³²P]GTP generated as a result of the substrate-level phosphorylation is a direct precursor of [³²P]ADP through the mediation of GTP:AMP phosphotransferase, which has been verified to be located inside the inner membrane by the significant labelling of GTP by [³²P]ADP.     

Characterization of purine nucleotide metabolism in primary rat cardiomyocyte cultures

Primary rat cardiomyocyte cultures were utilized as a model for the study of purine nucleotide metabolism in the heart muscle, especially in connection with the mechanisms operating for the conservation of adenine nucleotides. The cultures exhibited capacity to produce purine nucleotides from nonpurine molecules (de novo synthesis), as well as from preformed purines (salvage synthesis). The conversion of adenosine to AMP, catalyzed by adenosine kinase, appears to be the most important physiological salvage pathway of adenine nucleotide synthesis in the cardiomyocytes. The study of the metabolic fate of IMP formed from [14C]formate or [14C]hypoxanthine and that of AMP formed from [14C]adenine or [14C]adenosine revealed that in the cardiomyocyte the main flow in the nucleotide interconversion pathways is from IMP to AMP, whereas the flux from AMP to IMP appeared to be markedly slower. Following synthesis from labeled precursors by either de novo or salvage pathways, most of the radioactivity in purine nucleotides accumulated in adenine nucleotides, and only a small proportion of it resided in IMP. The results suggest that the main pathway of AMP degradation in the cardiomyocyte proceeds through adenosine rather than through IMP. About 90% of the total radioactivity in purines effluxed from the cells during de novo synthesis from [14C]formate or following prelabeling of adenine nucleotides with [14C]adenine were found to reside in hypoxanthine. The activities in cell extracts of AMP 5'-nucleotidase and IMP 5'-nucleotidase, which catalyze nucleotide degradation, and of AMP deaminase, a key enzyme in the purine nucleotide cycle, were low. The nucleotidase activity resembles, and that of the AMP deaminase contrasts the respective enzyme activities in extracts of cultured skeletal-muscle myotubes. The results indicate that in the cardiomyocyte, in contrast to the myotube, the main mechanism operating for conservation of nucleotides is prompt phosphorylation of AMP, rather than operation of the purine nucleotide cycle. The primary cardiomyocyte cultures are a plausible model for the study of purine nucleotide metabolism in the heart muscle.     

Extracellular adenine compounds, red blood cells and haemostasis: facts and hypotheses

Previously, the role of adenine nucleotides was thought to be confined to the intracellular space of the cell. Research of the last decades has revealed that nucleotides also occur in the extracellular milieu. This survey deals with extracellular adenine compounds in the blood, focussing on their role as chemical mediators in the haemostatic effect of red cells. Erythrocytes may act as pro-aggregatory cells by at least two chemical mechanisms. Firstly, they can enhance platelet aggregation by releasing adenosine diphosphate (ADP), a well known platelet stimulatory substance. ADP is set free when red cells are stressed mechanically, for instance by shear forces generated in the blood stream; ample experimental evidence supporting this view is summarized. Secondly, erythrocytes efficiently take up extracellular adenosine via their nucleoside transporters, thereby removing a potent inhibitor of platelet function. Extracellular adenosine occurs in the blood stream, either directly released from various tissues or as the end product of extracellular adenine nucleotide metabolism, e.g. after degradation of red cell-born ADP or ATP. Finally, a novel mechanism of action of the antithrombotic drug dipyridamole, which has very recently been put forward, is demonstrated. Dipyridamole inhibits platelet function indirectly by blocking the uptake of extracellular adenosine via the nucleoside transporter of red cells; increased adenosine levels in turn are responsible for the antiaggregatory effect of dipyridamole.     

The detection of micromolar pericellular ATP pool on lymphocyte surface by using lymphoid ecto-adenylate kinase as intrinsic ATP sensor

Current models of extracellular ATP turnover include transient release of nanomolar ATP concentrations, triggering of signaling events, and subsequent ectoenzymatic inactivation. Given the high substrate specificity for adenylate kinase for reversible reaction (ATP + AMP <--> 2ADP), we exploited lymphoid ecto-adenylate kinase as an intrinsic probe for accurate sensing pericellular ATP. Incubation of leukemic T- and B-lymphocytes with [3H]AMP or [alpha-32P]AMP induces partial nucleotide conversion into high-energy phosphoryls. This "intrinsic" AMP phosphorylation occurs in time- and concentration-dependent fashions via nonlytic supply of endogenous gamma-phosphate-donating ATP, remains relatively resistant to bulk extracellular ATP scavenging by apyrase, and is diminished after lymphocyte pretreatment with membrane-modifying agents. This enzyme-coupled approach, together with confocal imaging of quinacrine-labeled ATP stores, suggests that, along with predominant ATP accumulation within cytoplasmic granules, micromolar ATP concentrations are constitutively retained on lymphoid surface without convection into bulk milieu. High basal levels of inositol phosphates in the cells transfected with ATP-selective human P2Y2-receptor further demonstrate that lymphocyte-surrounding ATP is sufficient for triggering purinergic responses both in autocrine and paracrine fashions. The ability of nonstimulated lymphocytes to maintain micromolar ATP halo might represent a novel route initiating signaling cascades within immunological synapses and facilitating leukocyte trafficking between the blood and tissues.     

A separation method for the assay of adenylylcyclase, intracellular cyclic AMP, and cyclic-AMP phosphodiesterase using tritium-labeled substrates.

A method for the separation of cyclic AMP from adenosine and polyvalent adenine nucleotides is described. The method consists of the sequential elution of adenosine and cyclic AMP from a single column of acidic aluminum oxide (alumina) with dilute hydrochloric acid and ammonium acetate. Adenosine, adenine, xanthine, and hypoxanthine are rapidly eluted with the application of 0.005 N hydrochloric acid while cyclic AMP remains adsorbed to the alumina. A subsequent application of 0.1 M ammonium acetate elutes more than 90% of the cyclic AMP. Under these conditions, polyvalent nucleotides (AMP, ADP, and ATP) remain adsorbed to the alumina. The method permits the measurement of adenylylcyclase activity using [3H]ATP as the labeled substrate. The same technique can be used to measure the accumulation of cyclic AMP in intact cells after labeling the ATP pool with [3H]adenine. With slight modification, the technique can be used to measure the activity of cyclic-AMP phosphodiesterase using [3H]cyclic AMP as the substrate. The proposed technique provides rapid, highly reproducible assays using inexpensive, disposable columns.     

AMP deamination delays muscle acidification during heavy exercise and hypoxia

In silico studies carried out by using a computer model of oxidative phosphorylation and anaerobic glycolysis in skeletal muscle demonstrated that deamination of AMP to IMP during heavy short term exercise and/or hypoxia lessens the acidification of myocytes. The concerted action of adenylate kinase and AMP deaminase, leading to a decrease in the total adenine nucleotide pool, constitutes an additional process consuming ADP and producing ATP. It diminishes the amount of ADP that must be converted to ATP by other processes in order to meet the rate of ADP production by ATPases (because the adenylate kinase + AMP deaminase system produces only 1 ATP per 2 ADPs used, ATP consumption is not matched by ATP production, and the reduction of the total adenine nucleotide pool occurs mostly at the cost of [ATP]). As a result, the rate of ADP consumption by other processes may be lowered. This effect concerns mostly ADP consumption by anaerobic glycolysis that is inhibited by AMP deamination-induced decrease in [ADP] and [AMP], and not oxidative phosphorylation, because during heavy exercise and/or hypoxia [ADP] is significantly greater than the Km value of this process for ADP. The resultant reduction of proton production by anaerobic glycolysis enables us to delay the termination of exercise because of fatigue and/or to diminish cell damage.