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D B Wasson

Publications and source records attributed to D B Wasson.

35 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Lymphocyte dysfunction after DNA damage by toxic oxygen species. A model of immunodeficiency.

The metabolic causes for immune impairment in patients with severe chronic inflammatory diseases have not been clearly defined. Recently, the overproduction of poly(ADP-ribose) in resting lymphocytes with unrepaired DNA strand breaks has been suggested to contribute to immune dysfunction in adenosine deaminase-deficient patients. Our experiments have determined to what extent DNA damage and poly(ADP-ribose) synthesis might also explain the impaired mitogen responsiveness of PBL exposed to toxic oxygen species. Treatment of normal resting human lymphocytes with xanthine oxidase and hypoxanthine dose-dependently induced DNA strand breaks and triggered the rapid synthesis of poly(ADP-ribose). Subsequently, NAD+ and ATP pools decreased precipitously. Lymphocytes exposed previously to the enzymatic oxidizing system did not synthesize DNA after stimulation with PHA. However, if the medium was supplemented with 3-aminobenzamide or nicotinamide, two compounds that inhibit poly(ADP-ribose) formation, cellular NAD+ and ATP pools were preserved, and the lymphocytes responded vigorously to a mitogenic challenge. Excessive poly(ADP-ribose) synthesis, provoked by DNA strand breakage, may represent a common pathway that connects the immunodeficiency syndromes associated with (a) exposure of lymphocytes to toxic oxygen species during chronic inflammatory states, (b) adenosine deaminase deficiency, and (c) certain DNA repair disorders.

DNA↗

DNA strand breaks, NAD metabolism, and programmed cell death.

An intimate relationship exists between DNA single-strand breaks, NAD metabolism, and cell viability in quiescent human lymphocytes. Under steady-state conditions, resting lymphocytes continually break and rejoin DNA. The balanced DNA excision-repair process is accompanied by a proportional consumption of NAD for poly(ADP-ribose) synthesis. However, lymphocytes have a limited capacity to resynthesize NAD from nicotinamide. An increase in DNA strand break formation in lymphocytes, or a block in DNA repair, accelerates poly(ADP-ribose) formation and may induce lethal NAD and ATP depletion. In this way, the level of DNA single-strand breaks in the lymphocyte nucleus is linked to the metabolic activity of the cytoplasm. The programmed removal of lymphocytes (and perhaps of other cells) with damaged DNA, may represent a novel physiologic function for poly(ADP-ribose)-dependent NAD cycling.

Aphidicolin↗

Mechanism of deoxyadenosine and 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine toxicity to nondividing human lymphocytes.

Deoxyadenosine has been implicated as the toxic metabolite causing profound lymphopenia in immunodeficient children with a genetic deficiency of adenosine deaminase (ADA), and in adults treated with the potent ADA inhibitor deoxycoformycin. However, the biochemical basis for deoxyadenosine toxicity toward lymphocytes remains controversial. The present experiments have examined in detail the sequential metabolic changes induced in nondividing human peripheral blood lymphocytes by incubation with deoxyadenosine plus deoxycoformycin, or with 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine (CdA), an ADA resistant deoxyadenosine congener with anti-leukemic and immunosuppressive properties. The lymphotoxic effect of deoxyadenosine and CdA required their phosphorylation, and was inhibited by deoxycytidine. As early as 4 h after exposure to the deoxynucleosides, strand breaks in lymphocyte DNA began to accumulate, and RNA synthesis decreased. These changes were followed by a significant fall in intracellular NAD levels at 8 h, a drop in ATP pools at 24 h, and cell death by 48 h. Incubation of the lymphocytes with 5 mM nicotinamide, a NAD precursor and an inhibitor of poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase, prevented NAD depletion. The nicotinamide treatment also rendered the lymphocytes highly resistant to deoxyadenosine and CdA toxicity, without altering dATP formation or the accumulation of DNA strand breaks. The poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase inhibitor 3-aminobenzamide exerted a similar although less potent effect. These results suggest that NAD depletion, probably triggered by poly(ADP-ribose) formation, is the principle cause of death in normal resting human lymphocytes exposed to deoxyadenosine plus deoxycoformycin, or to CdA.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Deoxynucleoside overproduction in deoxyadenosine-resistant, adenosine deaminase-deficient human histiocytic lymphoma cells.

Deoxyadenosine toxicity toward lymphocytes may produce immune dysfunction in patients with adenosine deaminase (adenosine aminohydrolase, EC 3.5.4.4) deficiency. The relationship between endogenous deoxynucleoside synthesis in adenosine deaminase-deficient cells and sensitivity to adenosine and deoxyadenosine toxicity is unclear. The human histiocytic lymphoma cell line (DHL-9) naturally lacks adenosine deaminase, and has minimal levels of thymidine kinase. Dividing DHL-9 cells excrete deoxyadenosine and thymidine into the extracellular space. The present experiments have analyzed nucleoside synthesis and excretion in a mutagenized clone of DHL-9 cells, selected for increased resistance to deoxyadenosine toxicity. The deoxyadenosine-resistant cells excreted both deoxyadenosine and thymidine at a 6-7-fold higher rate than wild-type lymphoma cells. The deoxyadenosine overproduction was accompanied by a reduced ability to form dATP from exogenous deoxyadenosine, and a 2.5-fold increase in ribonucleotide reductase activity. The pace of adenosine excretion, the growth rate, and the levels of multiple other enzymes involved in deoxyadenosine and adenosine metabolism were equivalent in the two cell types. These results suggest that the excretion of deoxyadenosine and thymidine, but not adenosine, is exquisitely sensitive to alterations in the rate of endogenous deoxynucleotide synthesis. Apparently, small changes in deoxynucleotide synthesis can significantly influence cellular sensitivity to deoxyadenosine toxicity.

Adenosine Deaminase↗

Antileukemic and immunosuppressive activity of 2-chloro-2'-deoxyadenosine.

The adenosine deaminase-resistant purine deoxynucleoside 2-chloro-2'-deoxyadenosine (CdA) is markedly toxic in vitro to nondividing and proliferating normal human lymphocytes and to many leukemia cell specimens. The CdA is also effective against mouse L1210 leukemia in vivo. The present investigations have examined the pharmacology, chemotherapeutic activity, and toxicity of CdA in nine patients with advanced hematologic malignancies refractory to conventional therapy. When administered by continuous intravenous infusion, the deoxyadenosine analog was well tolerated. As monitored by radioimmunoassay, plasma CdA levels rose gradually during the infusions. The CdA was not deaminated significantly. In all patients with leukemia, the CdA lowered the blast count by at least 50%. In one patient with a T-cell leukemia-lymphoma, and in another patient with chronic myelogenous leukemia in blast crisis, the CdA infusion eliminated all detectable blasts from the blood and bone marrow. In a patient with a diffuse lymphoma complicated by severe autoimmune hemolytic anemia, CdA treatment quickly terminated the hemolytic process. Bone marrow suppression represented the dose-limiting toxicity, and was related to plasma CdA levels, cumulative drug dosage, and the rapid release of CdA that accompanied tumor cell lysis.

Animals↗

Specific toxicity of 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine toward resting and proliferating human lymphocytes.

2-Chlorodeoxyadenosine (CdA), an adenosine-deaminase-resistant purine deoxynucleoside, is markedly toxic toward human T-lymphoblastoid cell lines in vitro and is an effective agent against L1210 leukemia in vivo. The present studies have examined the toxicity, and in some cases, metabolism, of CdA in (1) multiple established human cell lines of varying phenotype, (2) leukemia and lymphoma cells taken directly from patients, (3) normal bone marrow cells, and (4) normal peripheral blood lymphocytes. Nanomolar concentrations of CdA blocked the proliferation of lymphoblastoid cell lines with a high ratio of deoxycytidine kinase to deoxynucleotidase. The drug had virtually no effect on the growth of cell lines derived from solid tissues. The CdA inhibited the spontaneous uptake of tritiated thymidine by many T and non-T, non-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell specimens at concentrations less than or equal to 5 nM. The same concentrations did not impair either thymidine uptake or granulocyte-monocyte colony formation by normal bone marrow cells. In common with deoxyadenosine, but unlike several other agents affecting purine and purine metabolism, CdA was lethal to resting normal T lymphocytes and to slowly dividing malignant T cells. In both resting and proliferating lymphocytes, the CdA was phosphorylated by deoxycytidine kinase and entered a rapidly turning over nucleotide pool. Dividing lymphocytes also incorporated abundant CdA into DNA. The selective toxicity of CdA toward both dividing and resting lymphocytes may render the drug useful as an immunosuppressive or antileukemic agent.

Cell Division↗

Possible metabolic basis for the different immunodeficient states associated with genetic deficiencies of adenosine deaminase and purine nucleoside phosphorylase.

An inherited deficiency of adenosine deaminase (Ado deaminase; adenosine aminohydrolase, EC 3.5.4.4) causes severe combined immunodeficiency disease in humans. A similar deficiency in purine nucleoside phosphorylase (Puo phosphorylase; purine-nucleoside:orthophosphate ribosyltransferase, EC 2.4.2.1) engenders a selective cellular immune deficit. To elucidate the possible metabolic basis for the contrasting immunologic phenotypes, we compared the toxicity toward mature resting human lymphocytes of the Ado deaminase substrates deoxyadenosine and adenosine and the Puo phosphorylase substrate deoxyguanosine. When Ado deaminase was inhibited, micromolar concentrations of deoxyadenosine progressively killed nondividing helper and suppressor-cytotoxic T cells, but not B cells. The toxicity required phosphorylation, with subsequent dATP formation. The deoxyadenosine analogs 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine, 2-fluorodeoxyadenosine, and adenine arabinonucleoside also killed resting T cells. Cell death was unrelated to inhibition of adenosylhomocysteinase (EC 3.3.1.1) but was preceded by a gradual decline in ATP levels. As much as 1 mM deoxyguanosine did not impair resting lymphocyte viability, despite the synthesis of dGTP. The combination of 200 microM adenosine plus 500 microM homocysteine thiolactone killed dividing lymphocytes but had no discernible toxic effect toward resting T cells, which accumulated adenosylhomocysteine over a 4-hr period but thereafter excreted the nucleoside into the culture medium. The different clinical syndromes associated with genetic deficiencies of Ado deaminase and Puo phosphorylase may be explained by the ability of dATP to kill mature resting T lymphocytes by depleting ATP levels.

Adenosine↗

Characterization of an adenosine 5'-triphosphate- and deoxyadenosine 5'-triphosphate-activated nucleotidase from human malignant lymphocytes.

The kinetic properties of a soluble, magnesium-dependent 5'-nucleotidase from human malignant lymphocytes have been determined. The partially purified enzyme is distinct from plasma membrane-associated 5'-nucleotidase and is free of nonspecific phosphatase activity. Among purine ribonucleotides, it reacted efficiently with inosine 5'-monophosphate and guanosine 5 -monophosphate and to a lesser degree with deoxyguanosine 5'-monophosphate. Adenosine 5'-monophosphate and deoxyadenosine 5'-monophosphate were 30-fold less efficient substrates. Increasing concentrations of adenosine 5'-triphosphate and deoxyadenosine 5'-triphosphate from 0 to 3 mM enhanced 5'-nucleotidase activity up to 7-fold. Guanosine 5'-triphosphate and deoxyguanosine 5'-triphosphate were much less effective enzyme activators, while uridine 5'-triphosphate was without effect. Inorganic phosphate inhibited dephosphorylating activity in both adenosine 5'-triphosphate-supplemented and unsupplemented buffer. The activation of this 5'-nucleotidase by deoxyadenosine 5'-triphosphate, combined with the relative inability of the enzyme to dephosphorylate deoxyadenosine 5'-monophosphate, conceivably may contribute to the adenine nucleotide degradation induced by deoxyadenosine in normal and malignant lymphocytes.

5'-Nucleotidase↗

The potential importance of soluble deoxynucleotidase activity in mediating deoxyadenosine toxicity in human lymphoblasts.

Deoxyadenosine and its nucleotides have been implicated in the pathogenesis of the immune dysfunction associated with a genetic deficiency of adenosine deaminase (ADA). We have previously shown that when ADA is blocked with a synthetic inhibitor, human T lymphoblastoid cell lines are more sensitive to deoxyadenosine toxicity, dephosphorylate deoxyadenosine nucleotides at a slower rate, and have much lower levels of ecto-5'-nucleotidase than most B cell lines. It seemed unlikely, however, that an enzyme on the outer surface of the lymphocyte plasma membrane could regulate intracellular deoxynucleotide catabolism. We now report that human lymphoblasts also contain a soluble deoxynucleotidase activity that is distinguishable from the plasma membrane enzyme by several criteria. In multiple human lymphoblastoid cell lines of varying origin and phenotype. soluble deoxynucleotidase correlated significantly (rs = 0.80, p < 0.001) with sensitivity to deoxyadenosine toxicity.

Adenosine Deaminase↗

Deoxycytidine kinase-mediated toxicity of deoxyadenosine analogs toward malignant human lymphoblasts in vitro and toward murine L1210 leukemia in vivo.

An inherited deficiency of adenosine deaminase (adenosine aminohydrolase, EC 3.5.4.4) produces selective lymphopenia and immunodeficiency disease in humans. Previous experiments have suggested that lymphospecific toxicity in this condition might result from the selective accumulation of toxic deoxyadenosine nucleotides by lymphocytes with high deoxycytidine kinase, levels and low deoxynucleotide dephosphorylating activity. The present experiments were designed to determine if deoxyadenosine analogs which are not substrates for adenosine deaminase might similarly be toxic toward lymphocytes and lymphoid tumors. Two such compounds, 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine and 2-fluorodeoxyadenosine, at concentrations of 3 nM and 0.15 microM, respectively, inhibited by 50% the growth of human CCRF-CEM malignant lymphoblasts in vitro. Each was phosphorylated in intact cells by deoxycytidine kinase accumulated as the nucleoside triphosphate, and inhibited DNA synthesis more than RNA synthesis. Both deoxynucleosides had significant chemotherapeutic activity against lymphoid leukemia L1210 in mice.

Adenosine Deaminase↗