PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A Fridland

Publications and source records attributed to A Fridland.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Eicar (5-ethynyl-1-beta-D-ribofuranosylimidazole-4-carboxamide). A novel potent inhibitor of inosinate dehydrogenase activity and guanylate biosynthesis.

EICAR (5-ethynyl-1-beta-D-ribofuranosylimidazole-4-carboxamide) is a cytostatic agent that inhibits murine leukemia L1210 and human lymphocyte CEM cells at a 50% inhibitory concentration of 0.80-1.4 microM, respectively. EICAR causes a rapid and marked inhibition of inosinate (IMP) dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.205) activity in intact L1210 and CEM cells reflected by a concentration-dependent accumulation of IMP and depletion of GTP and dGTP levels. EICAR 5'-monophosphate is a potent inhibitor of purified L1210 cell IMP dehydrogenase (Ki/Km 0.06). Inhibition of IMP dehydrogenase by EICAR 5'-monophosphate is competitive with respect to IMP. L1210 cells that were selected for resistance to the cytostatic action of EICAR proved to be adenosine kinase-deficient. Also, studies with other mutant L1210 and CEM cell lines revealed that adenosine kinase, as well as an alternative pathway, may be responsible for the conversion of EICAR to its 5'-monophosphate. Purified 2'-deoxycytidine kinase, 2'-deoxyguanosine kinase, cytosolic 5'-nucleotidase, and nicotinamide dinucleotide (NAD) pyrophosphorylase do not seem to be markedly involved in the metabolism of EICAR.

Adenosine↗

Mechanism of uptake of the phosphonate analog (S)-1-(3-hydroxy-2-phosphonylmethoxypropyl)cytosine (HPMPC) in Vero cells.

The cellular uptake of phosphonylmethoxypropyl cytosine (HPMPC) was characterized to gain insight into the molecular properties that allow this anticytomegalovirus drug to permeate cell membranes. The time course of uptake of HPMPC into Vero cells was linear between 10 and 75 min and proportional to the concentration in the medium from 10(-6) to 10(-2) M. HPMPC uptake was temperature sensitive and the rate of uptake was considerably lower at 27 degrees than at 37 degrees and almost totally inhibited at 4 degrees. In competition studies with naturally occurring nucleosides, nucleotides or the phosphonylmethoxyethyl derivatives, none affected the uptake of HPMPC at concentrations up to 2000-fold molar excess. The uptake of [3H]HPMPC into Vero cells was compared with that of [14C]sucrose, a probe for fluid-phase endocytosis. Kinetics for both compounds were very similar, as were the effects of the microtubule antagonist colchicine and the tumor promoting agent phorbol myristate acetate. Colchicine and the phorbol ester are known to, respectively, inhibit and stimulate endocytosis. It is concluded from these data that HPMPC enters Vero cells by fluid-phase endocytosis and that once internalized it may accumulate in the lysosome. Protonation of the negative charge on the phosphonyl group in HPMPC may allow its diffusion across the lysosome membrane and eventual activation to its putative active diphosphorylated form in the cell cytoplasm.

Animals↗

Metabolism and in vitro antiretroviral activities of bis(pivaloyloxymethyl) prodrugs of acyclic nucleoside phosphonates.

Bis(pivaloyloxymethyl) [bis(pom)] derivatives of various acyclic nucleoside phosphonates--9-(2-phosphonylmethoxyethyl)adenine (PMEA), 9-(2-phosphonylmethoxypropyl)adenine (PMPA), and 9-(2-phosphonylmethoxypropyl)diaminopurine (PMPDAP)--were found to exhibit 9- to 23-fold greater antiviral activity than their corresponding unmodified compounds. The cytotoxicity of the bis(pom) analogs was also increased by various degrees, thus altering the therapeutic indexes of these compounds. Metabolic studies using [3H]bis(pom)PMEA and [3H]PMEA as model compounds suggested a > 100-fold increase in the cellular uptake of the bis(pom) derivative and formation of active diphosphorylated metabolite. However, the bis(pom) derivatives were chemically unstable and highly susceptible to serum-mediated hydrolysis, factors which limit their potential utility for intracellular drug delivery.

Adenine↗

5-Amino-4-imidazolecarboxamide riboside potentiates the metabolism and anti-human immunodeficiency virus activity of 2',3'-dideoxyinosine.

The antiviral activity of the purine dideoxynucleosides 2',3'-dideoxyadenosine (ddA) and 2',3'-dideoxyinosine (ddI) is dependent on their conversion into ddA triphosphate in vivo. 5-Amino-4-imidazolecarboxamide riboside (AICA riboside), a natural metabolite in purine biosynthetic pathways, is converted into IMP, a substrate for the biosynthesis of adenine and guanine nucleotides, and enhances the intracellular purine nucleotide pools. Because IMP also serves as a phosphate donor in the anabolic phosphorylation of ddI (and ddA) into ddI monophosphate by the cytosolic enzyme 5'-nucleotidase, we investigated the effects of AICA riboside on the phosphorylation and antiretroviral activity of these purine nucleoside analogs. At an AICA riboside concentration of 0.5 mM, there was a approximately 2-fold increase in the intracellular ATP and GTP levels, whereas a nearly 8-fold increase was observed for the phosphorylation of ddA (or ddI). A marked reduction in intracellular pools of the pyrimidine nucleotides CTP and UTP was observed in AICA riboside-treated cells and inhibited cell proliferation. However, this growth inhibition was prevented by the addition of uridine to the cultures. Cells pretreated with AICA riboside and ddI were less susceptible to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and synthesized reduced levels of HIV proviral DNA. A 10-fold potentiation of the effectiveness of ddI against both wild-type HIV (HIVIIIB) and a ddI-resistant variant HIV was observed in the presence of 0.5 mM AICA riboside. These results show that AICA riboside modulates the anabolism and antiviral activity of ddI, and they have implications for possible therapies with dideoxynucleosides.

Aminoimidazole Carboxamide↗

Metabolic pathways for the activation of the antiviral agent 2',3'-dideoxyguanosine in human lymphoid cells.

2',3'-Dideoxyguanosine (ddGuo) is a selective inhibitor of the replication of human immunodeficiency virus in vitro and the most active antihepadnavirus nucleoside analog known in vitro and in vivo, in a Peking duck model. However, the exact route by which this and related guanosine analogs are anabolized to their putative active metabolites in target cells is controversial. The anabolic pathway for the activation of ddGuo was investigated with the use of mutant human lymphoid CCRF-CEM and WI-L2 cell lines deficient in known nucleoside kinases. Uptake of ddGuo by human lymphoid cells and subsequent conversion to mono-, di-, and triphosphorylated metabolites is dose dependent and occurs proportionately to the exogenous concentration of drug. Studies with kinase-deficient CCRF-CEM and WI-L2 mutants revealed that at least two different routes of metabolism are operating in these cells to initiate the phosphorylation of ddGuo to its active dideoxynucleotides, one being deoxycytidine (dCyd) kinase and the other a cytosolic-5'-nucleotidase acting in the anabolic direction as a phosphotransferase. The evidence for this included 1) a lower but significant accumulation of drug anabolites in dCyd kinase-deficient mutants, 2) a lack of cross-resistance of the kinase-deficient mutants to growth inhibition by ddGuo, compared with that by the related analogs dideoxycytidine and arabinosylcytosine, known substrates for dCyd kinase, and 3) identification of different phosphorylation activities for ddGuo in extracts of wild-type cells and kinase-deficient mutants. Knowledge of the enzyme systems involved in anabolism of ddGuo analogs should be important for both new drug design and optimal therapeutic application.

Adenosine Kinase↗

Inhibitors of IMP dehydrogenase stimulate the phosphorylation of the anti-human immunodeficiency virus nucleosides 2',3'-dideoxyadenosine and 2',3'-dideoxyinosine.

2',3'-Dideoxyadenosine (ddAdo) and its deamination product 2',3'-dideoxyinosine (ddIno) (didanosine) inhibit the replication and infectivity of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in a number of in vitro assay systems. Early clinical studies (phase I) have indicated a role for ddIno in the treatment of patients with severe HIV infection. In the present in vitro study, the formation in human T cells (MOLT-4, ATH8, and CCRF-CEM) of the pharmacologically active metabolite of ddIno and ddAdo, 2',3'-dideoxyadenosine-5'-triphosphate (ddATP), was found to be stimulated 2-4-fold by appropriate concentrations of inosinate dehydrogenase (IMPD) inhibitors such as ribavirin, tiazofurin, and mycophenolic acid. Concomitant with this increase in ddATP formation from ddIno was an increase in anti-HIV activity of this agent when it was combined with ribavirin in the ATH8 cell assay system and with tiazofurin in the MOLT-4 assay system. No change was noted in the intracellular concentration of the corresponding physiological deoxynucleoside-5'-triphosphate, dATP; positive correlation was observed, however, between the increase in ddATP formation from ddIno and the increase in intracellular IMP occurring as a consequence of IMPD inhibition. The results support the hypothesis that the stimulation of ddATP formation seen when ddIno is combined with ribavirin or other IMPD inhibitors is a consequence of an increased concentration of IMP, the major phosphate donor for the initial phosphorylation step in the anabolism of ddIno to ddATP, i.e., ddIno----ddIMP.

Antiviral Agents↗

Metabolism of the carbocyclic nucleoside analogue carbovir, an inhibitor of human immunodeficiency virus, in human lymphoid cells.

Carbovir (CBV) is a highly selective carbocyclic nucleoside inhibitor of HIV replication in human lymphocytes and is potentially useful in the treatment of AIDS [Vince et al. (1988) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 156, 1046-1053]. Using human lymphoid cells severely deficient in nucleoside kinases, we were able to identify the route of activation of CBV metabolism. The present studies have demonstrated that CBV is anabolized to the mono-, di-, and triphosphates and to guanosine 5'-triphosphate in CCRF-CEM cells. Conversion to GTP amounted to 15-20% of the total analogue nucleotides formed in the cells and may arise from CBV through depurination and salvage via HGPRT. Evidence was obtained that neither deoxycytidine kinase, adenosine kinase, or mitochondrial deoxyguanosine kinase is primarily involved in the initial step of phosphorylation of CBV in CCRF-CEM cells. In contrast, earlier studies [Johnson & Fridland (1989) Mol. Pharmacol. 36, 291-295] showed that a cytosolic 5'-nucleotidase catalyzes the activation of CBV to the monosphosphate. Other biochemical effects examined showed that the nucleobases hypoxanthine and adenine, but not guanine, their respective nucleosides, and the dideoxynucleosides 2',3'-dideoxyinosine, 2',3'-dideoxyguanosine, and 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine produced significant increased accumulation of CBV nucleotides in CEM cells. The exact mechanism for this potentiation of CBV phosphorylation has not been elucidated but may be due to a modulating effect of intracellular nucleotides on 5'-nucleotidase activity.

5'-Nucleotidase↗

Inhibitors of IMP dehydrogenase stimulate the phosphorylation of the antiviral nucleoside 2' ,3'-dideoxyguanosine.

The inosinate dehydrogenase (IMPD) inhibitors ribavirin, tiazofurin and mycophenolic acid were found to stimulate by as much as 20-fold the anabolism of the anti-HIV agent 2' ,3'dideoxyguanosine to its 5'-diphosphate (ddGDP) in a human T-cell culture system (Molt-4 cells). Stimulation of the further conversion to ddGTP (the active form of the drug) was lesser in magnitude but still highly significant (up to 4-fold at appropriate concentrations of ribavirin or tiazofurin). In parallel with these increases, the inhibitors also produced increases of up to 35-fold in IMP levels. These results support the proposal that the initial phosphorylation of ddGuo is catalyzed by a phosphotransferase (5'-nucleotidase) which utilizes IMP as its phosphate donor (Johnson and Fridland, [1989] Molec. Pharmacol. 36, 291-295). Concomitant with this increase in 5'-phosphorylation of ddGuo, an increase in its anti-HIV activity of up to 6.5-fold was observed when this agent was combined with ribavirin (5 microM) in the H9 [corrected] cell assay system.

Antiviral Agents↗

Metabolism in human leukocytes of anti-HIV dideoxypurine nucleosides.

Of the dideoxynucleosides described to date, the purine analogues ddA and ddI have exhibited very favorable therapeutic ratios in vitro. ddI is presently undergoing extensive phase I-II clinical trials. Whereas the action of adenosine deaminase (ADA) and purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) is usually to convert a given analogue of Ado to an inactive or less active form, ddI appears to retain the same biological activity as that of the parent ddA. An explanation for these observations was possible when we found that ddI (1) underwent only a slow cleavage to hypoxanthine through the action of PNP and (2) accumulated the same active antiviral metabolite (i.e., ddATP) as ddA in human lymphoid cells. The use of human lymphoid cells with deficiencies in cellular nucleoside kinases and of inhibitors of pathways of nucleotide metabolism have also revealed new aspects of dideoxypurine metabolism in human lymphoid cells, including the identification of a salvage pathway (phosphotransferase/5'-nucleotide pathway) by which ddA/ddI may be metabolized preferentially to the active nucleotide. The effectiveness of ddA and ddI as orally administered antiviral agents may be limited by their susceptibility to acid hydrolysis and the low efficiency for nucleotide conversion in human lymphoid cells. The presence of a fluorine atom in the arabinose configuration on C-2 confers resistance to solvolysis and renders the analogue less susceptible to enzymatic deamination and resistant to phosphorylytic cleavage by PNP. In addition, human lymphoid cells accumulated several fold higher levels of the putative active triphosphate, 2'-F-dd-ara-ATP, than those of ddA or ddI. This increased accumulation of the analogue triphosphate could be accounted for by a more direct conversion of 2'-F-dd-ara-A by a direct phosphorylation through dCyd kinase than ddA. Thus, a single substitution with fluorine at the 2' "up" position of the sugar moiety of ddA markedly improves several biochemical properties relating to dideoxynucleotide accumulation in human lymphoid cells. Whether there are significant alterations of other biochemical properties, such as the ability of the analogue triphosphate to interact with the target enzyme reverse transcriptase, has not yet been determined. Thus, a definitive resolution of the relative merit of ddA/ddI and its 2'-fluoro-arabinosyl analogue is not yet possible on the basis of the studies described here.

5'-Nucleotidase↗

2'-Fluoro-2',3'-dideoxyarabinosyladenine: a metabolically stable analogue of the antiretroviral agent 2',3'-dideoxyadenosine.

In this report, we have compared the uptake, metabolism, and relevant enzymology of a novel anti-acquired immunodeficiency syndrome drug, 2'-fluoro-2',3'-dideoxyarabinosyladenine (2'-F-dd-ara-A) with the corresponding properties of its parent compound 2',3'-dideoxyadenosine (2',3'-ddAdo) in three human T cell lines, MOLT-4, ATH8, and CEM. In previous communications, we have reported that the primary route of metabolism of 2',3'-ddAdo in human T lymphoblasts is catabolic, i.e., deamination to 2',3'-dideoxyinosine (2',3'-ddlno). At this point, the metabolic pathway diverges, to result in either cleavage and inactivation of 2',3'-ddlno by purine nucleoside phosphorylase or in 5'-phosphorylation by a phosphotransferase, a reaction that generates 2',3'-inosine monophosphate and ultimately the putative active metabolite 2',3'-dideoxy-ATP. Studies with kinase-deficient mutant CEM lines indicate, however, that 2'-F-dd-ara-A favors a more direct anabolic route toward formation of 2'-fluoro-dideoxynucleotides, catalyzed initially by 2'-deoxycytidine kinase. In MOLT-4 cells, amounts of 2'-fluoro-dideoxyarabinosyladenine di- and triphosphate formed were approximately 20-fold and 5-fold greater than the respective accumulation of 2',3'-dideoxy-ADP and 2',3'-dideoxy-ATP over the same time of exposure. This metabolic profile was supported by enzymological studies, which revealed that 2'-F-dd-ara-A is deaminated 10 times less rapidly than ddAdo and that the resulting deaminated product is resistant to hydrolysis by purine nucleoside phosphorylase. Under similar conditions, ddAdo was rapidly degraded through cleavage of its deamination product ddlno. Like ddAdo, 2'-F-dd-ara-A was found to be transported by passive diffusion and does not enter cells via the purine nucleoside transport carrier system. However, the rate of entry of 2'-F-dd-ara-A was about half that of ddAdo (9.7 pmol/10(6) cells/min for 2'-F-dd-ara-A versus 18.4 pmol/10(6) cells/min for ddAdo). This investigation, therefore, demonstrates that, under the conditions studied, 2'-F-dd-ara-A and its deamination product 2'-fluoro-2',3'-dideoxyarabinosylhypoxanthine have metabolic properties that differ significantly from those of their parent compounds ddAdo and ddlno. These properties, combined with the previously reported resistance of the fluorinated nucleosides to acid degradation, make these compounds interesting candidates for further study as orally administered agents for the inhibition of human immunodeficiency virus replication in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

AMP Deaminase↗

Relationship of deoxynucleotide changes to inhibition of DNA synthesis induced by the antiretroviral agent 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine and release of its monophosphate by human lymphoid cells (CCRF-CEM).

The metabolism and cytostatic effects of 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT), one of the most effective agents being used in the treatment of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, were investigated in the CCRF-CEM line of human T lymphoid cells. The concentration of drug required to inhibit cell growth by 50% (CD50) was significantly lower when the cells were exposed to AZT for 24 hr (CD50 = 50 microM), as compared with 48 or 96 hr (CD50 = 225 and greater than 300 microM, respectively). AZT at 25 microM blocked the progression of cells in S phase for about 12 hr, but this effect was reversed by 24 hr, despite the continued presence of drug in the medium. At this drug concentration, the level of dTTP decreased to about 75% of the control level by 4 hr but rebounded to 30% above normal by 8 hr of drug exposure. dGTP and dATP pool sizes were unchanged, whereas the dCTP pool increased 5-fold. The time course of these biochemical changes indicated that the onset of S phase arrest was not directly related to the decrease in deoxynucleoside triphosphate pools. CCRF-CEM cells incubated with 25 microM AZT accumulated about 0.9 mM 5'-monophosphate (AZTMP) after 4 hr whereas levels of the 5'-di- and 5'-triphosphates (AZTDP and AZTTP) plateaued at about 2 and 5 microM, respectively. After this period, there was a rapid decrease in AZTMP accumulation, to one third its initial level by 24 hr, whereas AZTDP and AZTTP pools decreased to only about 70%. The loss in AZT nucleotide formation with time of drug exposure was associated with a concomitant accumulation of AZTMP in the medium. Cellular excretion of AZTMP was not associated with any detectable cell lysis or leakage of other cellular metabolites. The ability of CCRF-CEM cells to excrete AZTMP may be an important factor limiting the biochemical and biological effects of the drug.

Cell Division↗

Growth and differentiation of a human T-cell leukemia cell line, CCRF-CEM, grafted in mice.

The growth of human CCRF-CEM T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia was studied in mice immune deprived by different techniques, and in CD-nu/nu athymic mice. Female CBA/CaJ mice were immune deprived by infant thymectomy, priming with 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (200 mg/kg) 48 h prior to total body irradiation (925 cGy) designated theta ara-C gamma; or after thymectomy the mice received 925 cGy total body irradiation with marrow reconstitution (4 x 10(6) nucleated cells), designated theta gamma BM. Only in mice immune deprived by theta gamma BM, subsequently given a single dose of cyclophosphamide (100 mg/kg) 18-24 h before transplantation of CCRF-CEM, was there progressive reproducible engraftment and tumor growth. For mice immune deprived in this manner the tumor engraftment rate was 100 and 80% of tumors achieved greater than or equal to 1 cm3 within 46 days. In immune-deprived CBA/CaJ mice, but not CD-nu/nu athymic mice, tumor transplanted to the s.c. site metastasized to paraaortic and axillary nodes. Metastatic spread to lymph nodes was confirmed by immunophenotyping and by karyotyping. In contrast to the CCRF-CEM cells in culture, which expressed cytoplasmic CD3 (T3) but not surface CD3, both s.c. and metastatic CCRF-CEM line was exposed to phorbol-12-myristate 13-acetate in vitro to mimic the apparent differentiation which occurred in the xenografted cells, and a similar expression of surface CD3 after treatment was seen. This surface expression of CD3 was accompanied by production of mRNA for the T-cell receptor alpha chain and surface expression of the T-cell receptor. Identical T-cell receptor beta and gamma chain gene rearrangements were found for the CCRF-CEM line in vitro and the xenografted cells in vivo, demonstrating that only one clone was present and that differences in immunophenotyping were not the result of clonal selection. These results suggest that host (mouse) hematopoietic factors could affect human leukemic cell differentiation.

Animals↗

Regulation of purine deoxynucleoside phosphorylation by deoxycytidine kinase from human leukemic blast cells.

The kinetics and regulation of nucleoside phosphorylation by highly purified human deoxycytidine kinase from leukemic lymphoblasts were studied. The phosphorylation of purine nucleosides by this enzyme showed sensitivity to the endogenous inhibitors dCTP and UDP three times greater than the phosphorylation of dCyd. Examination of nucleotide pools in human T and B lymphoblasts disclosed that the levels of dCTP and UDP in these cells were sufficient to regulate kinase activity. The enhanced sensitivity of the kinase to dCTP and UDP was related to its reduced ability to interact with purine nucleosides. Comparison of the phosphorylation kinetics for pyrimidine and purine dideoxynucleosides used in antiviral therapy showed that the purine nucleosides were at least 50-fold less efficient as enzyme substrates. These results suggest that the phosphorylation of pharmacologically active purine nucleosides by deoxycytidine kinase is regulated by cellular nucleotide pools.

B-Lymphocytes↗

Phosphorylation of 2',3'-dideoxyinosine by cytosolic 5'-nucleotidase of human lymphoid cells.

2',3'-Dideoxyinosine (ddlno) is a potent and selective inhibitor of human immunodeficiency virus in human lymphoid cells and monocytes/macrophages. Earlier studies [J. Biol. Chem. 263:15354 (1988)] showed that anabolism of ddlno in human lymphoid cells is mediated via an initial step of phosphorylation and subsequent amination to dideoxy-AMP via adenylosuccinate synthetase/lyase. Evidence was obtained that neither adenosine kinase nor deoxycytidine kinase is involved in the phosphorylation of this compound in human lymphoid cells. We now find that, in the presence of MgCl2, KCl, and inosine-5'-monophosphate as phosphate donor, purified cytosolic 5'-nucleotidase catalyzed the phosphorylation of ddlno. Although not phosphate donors, ATP, diadenosine tetraphosphate, and glycerate-2,3-bisphosphate stimulate this phosphorylation by the nucleotidase 4-5-fold. In addition to ddlno, the antiviral nucleoside analogs 2',3'-dideoxyguanosine and carbovir were substrates for this enzyme. The relative phosphorylation of these compounds varied with the concentration of the phosphate donor IMP. Approximate Km values of the nucleotidase for inosine, ddlno, dideoxyguanosine, and carbovir were, respectively, 3.4, 0.5, 0.9, and 1.7 mM. Although the substrate activity of dideoxynucleosides is inefficient, it appears likely that this nucleotidase is responsible for the metabolism of these compounds to their active nucleotides, yielding antiviral activity in human lymphoid cells.

5'-Nucleotidase↗

Metabolic pathways for the activation of the antiretroviral agent 2',3'-dideoxyadenosine in human lymphoid cells.

The pathways of 2',3'-dideoxyadenosine (ddAdo) metabolism, a selective inhibitor of the replication of human immunodeficiency virus, were investigated with use of the human T-lymphoid cell line CCRF-CEM which is deficient in either deoxycytidine kinase or adenosine kinase activity, or both. At an extracellular concentration of 10 microM, which blocks the cytopathic effect of human immunodeficiency virus in vitro, ddAdo was found to be metabolized to its mono-, di-, and triphosphates and to dideoxyinosine monophosphate (ddIMP). The metabolism of ddAdo in the kinase-deficient mutants was found to be unchanged by comparison with that in parental cells; however, the inhibition of ddAdo deamination to 2',3'-dideoxyinosine (ddIno) by the adenosine deaminase inhibitor, 2'-deoxycoformycin, reduced ddAdo nucleotide formation in deoxycytidine kinase-deficient, adenosine kinase-deficient, and doubly kinase-deficient mutants by 42, 54, and 80%, respectively. Incubation of the CCRF-CEM cells with 20 microM L-alanosine, an amino acid antagonist that inhibits purine biosynthesis at the level of adenylosuccinate/lyase synthetase, resulted in 80% inhibition in the accumulation of ddAdo nucleotides in both wild-type and kinase-deficient mutants and also increased ddIMP accumulation 2- to 3-fold. These findings indicate that ddAdo activation in human T-lymphoblasts can occur by three metabolic pathways: directly, by phosphorylation to ddAMP by the action of either deoxycytidine kinase or adenosine kinase and, indirectly, through deamination to ddIno with consequent phosphorylation of ddIno to ddIMP, and reamination to ddAMP in a reaction catalyzed by adenylosuccinate synthetase/lyase. However, in the absence of 2'-deoxycoformycin, the activation of ddAdo to ddATP in T-lymphoid cells is primarily a function of the indirect route.

Adenosine Kinase↗

Factors determining the activity of 2',3'-dideoxynucleosides in suppressing human immunodeficiency virus in vitro.

Mitsuya and Broder [Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 83:1911-1915 (1986)] demonstrated that every purine (adenosine, guanosine, and inosine) and pyrimidine (cytidine and thymidine) nucleoside containing the 2',3'-dideoxyribose configuration, when evaluated against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in vitro, significantly suppressed both the infectivity and the cytopathic effect of the virus, with 2',3'-dideoxycytidine (ddCyd) being the most potent of the series (total antiviral protection at 0.5-1.0 microM). We have compared three factors likely to be of significance in determining the pharmacological activity of these compounds, i.e., (i) their abilities to influence pool sizes of physiological deoxynucleoside-5'-triphosphates, (ii) their capacity to generate the corresponding 2',3'-dideoxynucleoside-5'-triphosphates, and (iii) the effectiveness of these nucleoside-5'-triphosphates as inhibitors of HIV reverse transcriptase. In MOLT-4 cells (a human T cell line), ddCyd was the compound most efficiently converted to its 5'-triphosphate, whereas 2',3'-dideoxyguanosine and 2',3'-dideoxythymidine were the compounds least efficiently converted, generating levels of their corresponding 5'-triphosphates less than 0.1% of that seen with ddCyd when these nucleosides were compared on an equimolar basis (5 microM). The 3'-azido analogue of 2',3'-dideoxythymidine fell intermediate between these two extremes. As inhibitors of HIV reverse transcriptase, however, all the 5'-triphosphates, with the exception of 2',3'-dideoxyinosine-5'-triphosphate, fell within a narrow range of activity (Ki, 0.10-0.26 microM), affinities some 40-60 fold greater than those of the corresponding physiological 2'-deoxynucleoside-5'-triphosphates. Significant alterations in pool sizes of physiological 2'-deoxynucleoside-5'-triphosphates were not observed at pharmacologically effective drug levels. The relative ability of 2',3'-dideoxynucleosides to generate 5'-triphosphates intracellularly thus correlates much more closely than do the other two factors examined, in capacity to block HIV replication. These studies support the conclusion that, for purposes of design of new compounds of this general class, factors influencing efficiency of nucleotide formation and degradation (e.g., membrane transport mechanisms, affinities for nucleoside kinases and for nucleotide kinases and phosphatases) may be of equal or even greater importance than differences in the relative abilities of the resultant 2',3'-dideoxynucleoside-5'-triphosphates to inhibit the viral reverse transcriptase.

Antiviral Agents↗