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Specificity and sodium dependence of the active nucleoside transport system in choroid plexus.

The transport of [3H]deoxyuridine by the active nucleoside transport system into the isolated rabbit choroid plexus was measured in vitro under various conditions. Choroid plexuses were incubated in artificial CSF containing 1 microM [3H]deoxyuridine and 1 microM nitrobenzylthioinosine for 5 min under 95% O2-5% CO2 at 37 degrees C and the accumulation of [3H]deoxyuridine measured. Nitrobenzylthioinosine was added to the artificial CSF at a concentration (1 microM) that did not inhibit the active nucleoside transport system but did inhibit the separate, saturable nucleoside efflux system. The active transport of deoxyuridine into the choroid plexus depended on Na+ in the medium, as ouabain, substitution of Li+ and choline for Na+, and poly-L-lysine all inhibited deoxyuridine transport. Thiocyanate in place of chloride and penetrating sulfhydryl reagents also inhibited the active transport of deoxyuridine into choroid plexus. The active transport of deoxyuridine into choroid plexus, which is inhibited by naturally occurring ribo- and deoxyribonucleosides (IC50 = 7-21 microM), was not inhibited (IC50 much greater than 150 microM) by nucleosides with certain alterations on the 2', 3', or 5' positions in D-ribose or 2-deoxy-D-ribose (e.g., adenine arabinoside, 3'-deoxyadenosine, xylosyladenosine); or the pyrimidine or purine rings (e.g., 6-azauridine, xanthosine, 7-methylinosine, or 8-bromoadenosine). Other analogues were effective (IC50 = 8-26 microM; e.g., 5-substituted pyrimidine nucleosides, 7-deazaadenosine, 6-mercaptoguanosine) or less effective (IC50 = 46-145 microM; e.g., 5-azacytidine, 3-deazauridine) inhibitors of deoxyuridine transport into the isolated choroid plexus.

Animals↗

Heterogeneity of nucleoside transport inhibitory sites in heart: a quantitative autoradiographical analysis.

1. The distribution of nucleoside transport inhibitory sites in rat and guinea-pig cardiac sections was investigated by use of [3H]-nitrobenzylthioinosine ([3H]-NBMPR) autoradiography. The distribution of these sites was heterogeneous in guinea-pig sections and homogeneous in rat sections. 2. The areas of high density of nucleoside transport inhibitory sites found in guinea-pig cardiac sections were compared to the distribution of an endothelial cell marker, von Willebrand Factor, determined by radioimmunocytochemistry. These two markers were co-localized suggesting that coronary endothelial cells from guinea-pig have a high density of NBMPR binding sites and thus may have a high nucleoside transport capacity. 3. Nucleoside transporter subtypes with differing affinity for NBMPR or dipyridamole were investigated by quantitative autoradiography. Sites in rat tissues had high affinity for NBMPR (KD = 0.6 nM) but were of low sensitivity to dipyridamole (Ki = 3.1 microM). In guinea-pig sections, areas of high and low [3H]-NBMPR binding site density were analyzed separately. In both areas, sites had high affinity for NBMPR (KD = 1.4 nM, 4.5 nM, respectively) and dipyridamole (Ki = 108 nM, 245 nM, respectively). 4. While differences in density of nucleoside transport inhibitory sites are detectable between distinct regions of the heart, subtypes differing in affinity for NBMPR or dipyridamole were not evident. Therefore, more detailed structure activity studies are required to determine if subtypes of these sites exist within a single heart.

Animals↗

L-Nucleosides as chemotherapeutic agents.

Nucleoside analogues have been the cornerstone of antiviral therapy over the past thirty years and, currently, 16 commonly used antiviral drugs belong to this category. Although for long time it was believed that only D-nucleosides, possessing a 'natural' stereochemistry, could elicit biological activity, in the last decade this has been proven not to be true. 3TC, a L-nucleoside analogue, is one of the most effective anti-HIV and anti-hepatitis B virus drugs, and nine other L-nucleosides are currently undergoing clinical trials and/or preclinical studies as antiviral or antitumoral agents. This minireview summarizes some biological features and the current status of these promising L-nucleoside analogues.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

New developments in the chemotherapy of lentivirus (human immunodeficiency virus) infections: sensitivity/resistance of HIV-1 to non-nucleoside HIV-1-specific inhibitors.

Of the different steps of the HIV replicative cycle, the reverse transcription step has received most attention as a target for chemotherapeutic intervention. The reverse transcriptase (RT) can be blocked by both nucleoside (nucleotide) and non-nucleoside type of inhibitors. Whereas the former act as competitive inhibitors with respect to the natural substrates or alternate substrates (chain terminators), the latter act allosterically with a non-substrate binding site of the enzyme. Several non-nucleoside types of RT inhibitors have proved to inhibit HIV-1 replication at nanomolar concentrations that are 10(4)- to 10(5)-fold lower than the cytotoxic concentrations. Although a non-nucleoside HIV-1-specific RT inhibitor may rapidly select for virus-drug resistance in cell culture, the resulting mutant strain may or may not show cross-resistance, and in some instances even hypersensitivity, to other HIV-specific RT inhibitors. When used at the appropriate concentrations, HIV-1-specific RT inhibitors are able to completely shut off ("knock-out") virus replication in vitro, under conditions where dideoxynucleoside analogues such as AZT fail to do so. This apparent "sterilizing effect" achieved by the non-nucleoside type of HIV-1-specific RT inhibitors opens new perspectives for the treatment of HIV infections in patients.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Inhibition of nucleoside transport by protein kinase inhibitors.

Recently we reported that the pyridinylimidazole class of p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase inhibitors potently inhibited the facilitated transport of nucleosides and nucleoside analogs in K562 cells. These compounds competed with the binding of nitrobenzylthioinosine (NBMPR) to K562 cells, consistent with inhibition of the NBMPR-sensitive equilibrative transporter (ENT1). In this study we examined a large number of additional protein kinase inhibitors for their effects on nucleoside transport. We find that incubation of K562 cells with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (AG825, AG1517, AG1478, STI-571), protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors (staurosporine, GF 109203X, R0 31-8220, arcyriarubin A), cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (roscovitine, olomoucine, indirubin-3'-monoxime), or rapamycin resulted in a dose-dependent reduction of intracellular uptake of [3H]uridine. In contrast, neither the MAP kinase kinase inhibitors (U0126, PD 98059) nor the phosphatidyl inositol-3 kinase inhibitors (wortmannin, LY 294002) affected this process. Furthermore, both transient uptake and prolonged [3H]thymidine incorporation in K562 cells were inhibited by protein kinase inhibitors, inactive analogs of kinase inhibitors (R0 31-6045, SB202474), and NBMPR, independently of effects on cell proliferation as determined by MTT assay. These studies demonstrate that a wide variety of protein kinase inhibitors affect nucleoside uptake through selective inhibition of nucleoside transporters, independently of kinase inhibition.

Biological Transport↗

The effect of insulin on expression level of nucleoside transporters in diabetic rats.

Evidence that the time course of insulin-induced changes in adenosine level in diabetic rats is different from that observed for expression of adenosine kinase prompted us to study the insulin effect on expression of nucleoside transporters in tissues of diabetic rats. RNase protection assay demonstrated that mRNA levels of equilibrative (rENT) and Na+-dependent nucleoside transporters (rCNT) were altered in diabetic tissues. The rENT1 mRNA level with respect to values obtained in age- and sex-matched nondiabetic rats was decreased by 45, 32, and 10% in diabetic heart, liver, and kidney, respectively. The level of rENT2 mRNA was lowered by 40% in diabetic kidney and heart, and by 24% in diabetic liver. Changes in the expression pattern of rCNT1 and rCNT2 in diabetic tissues differed significantly from that observed for rENT. The levels of rCNT1 and rCNT2 mRNA did not change significantly in diabetic kidney. In diabetic heart, the mRNA levels of rCNT1 and rCNT2 increased 1.7- and 2-fold, respectively. Changes in expression of nucleoside transporters were accompanied by alterations in adenosine content. Administration of insulin to diabetic rats resulted in a drop in adenosine concentration in examined tissues and return of the rCNT1, rCNT2, and rENT2 but not rENT1 mRNA levels to values observed in nondiabetic rats. In summary, these data demonstrate that insulin affects expression of nucleoside transporters in a cell-specific manner. We conclude that change in the expression level of the nucleoside transporters occurring in tissues of diabetic rat is an important factor influencing adenosine levels in the cell.

Adenosine↗

Characterization of the transport of nucleoside analog drugs by the human multidrug resistance proteins MRP4 and MRP5.

The human multidrug resistance proteins MRP4 and MRP5 are organic anion transporters that have the unusual ability to transport cyclic nucleotides and some nucleoside monophosphate analogs. Base and nucleoside analogs used in the chemotherapy of cancer and viral infections are potential substrates. To assess the possible contribution of MRP4 and MRP5 to resistance against these drugs, we have investigated the transport mediated by MRP4 and MRP5. In cytotoxicity assays, MRP4 conferred resistance to the antiviral agent 9-(2-phosphonomethoxyethyl)adenine (PMEA) and high-performance liquid chromatography analysis showed that, like MRP5, MRP4 transported PMEA in an unmodified form. MRP4 also mediated substantial resistance against other acyclic nucleoside phosphonates, whereas MRP5 did not. Apart from low-level MRP4-mediated cladribine resistance, the cytotoxicity of clinically used anticancer nucleosides was not influenced by overexpression of MRP4 or MRP5. In contrast, MRP5 mediated efflux of the pyrimidine-based antiviral 2',3'-dideoxynucleoside 2',3'-didehydro-2',3'-dideoxythymidine 5'-monophosphate (d4TMP) and its phosphoramidate derivative alaninyl-d4TMP from cells loaded with the 2',3'-didehydro-2',3'-dideoxythymidine prodrugs cyclosaligenyl-d4TMP and aryloxyphosphoramidate d4TMP (So324), respectively. Moreover, only inside-out membrane vesicles derived from MRP5-overexpressing cells accumulated alaninyl-d4TMP. Cellular efflux and vesicular uptake studies were carried out to further compare transport mediated by MRP4 and MRP5 and showed that dipyridamole, dilazep, nitrobenzyl mercaptopurine riboside, sildenafil, trequinsin and MK571 inhibited MRP4 more than MRP5, whereas cyclic nucleotides and monophosphorylated nucleoside analogs were equally poor inhibitors of both pumps. These results strongly suggest that the affinity of MRP4 and MRP5 for nucleotide-based substrates is low.

Acrylates↗

Nucleoside metabolism in herpes simplex virus-infected cells following treatment with interferon and acyclovir, a possible mechanism of synergistic antiviral activity.

Alpha interferon (IFN-alpha) and nucleoside analogs have been shown to have synergistic antiherpesvirus activity in cultured cells. The mechanisms responsible for this synergistic activity are not known, but we hypothesize that IFN-alpha-induced alterations of nucleoside metabolism in virus-infected cells may play an important role. Infection of cells with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) led to an increase in uptake of thymidine into cells. Treatment of infected cells with recombinant IFN-alpha for 24 h prior to infection resulted in a significant reduction in the uptake of exogenous thymidine but did not reduce the apparent incorporation of exogenous thymidine into DNA. The amount of exogenous thymidine phosphorylated relative to the amount taken up was the same in IFN-alpha-treated and control cultures. IFN-alpha treatment of HSV-1-infected cells also resulted in a reduction in the pool sizes of endogenous deoxyribonucleoside-5'-triphosphates relative to those of untreated HSV-1-infected cultures. Although IFN-alpha affected the metabolism of natural nucleosides in HSV-1-infected cells, it did not significantly reduce the uptake of the antiviral guanosine analog acyclovir into HSV-1-infected cells or the amount of acyclovir-5'-triphosphate accumulated. Therefore, in IFN-alpha-treated cells the concentration of a natural nucleoside, thymidine, was reduced, as were the pools of all deoxyribonucleoside-5'-triphosphates. No decrease in acyclovir or acyclovir-5'-triphosphate concentration was observed, however, when acyclovir-treated cells were exposed to IFN-alpha. These data suggest that IFN-alpha-induced alterations in nucleoside metabolism may be one mechanism whereby IFN-alpha and acyclovir express synergistic antiherpes-virus activity.

Acyclovir↗

Modified nucleosides of Bacillus subtilis transfer ribonucleic acids.

An analysis of the kinds and amounts of minor nucleosides of transfer ribonucleic acids (tRNA's) from Bacillus subtilis 168 trpC2 is presented. Identification and quantitation were accomplished using ion exclusion chromatography, thin-layer and paper chromatography, and ultraviolet absorption properties. Nucleosides and their amount in moles per 80 residues are as follows: guanosine (25.7), cytidine (22.0), adenosine (15.2), uridine (13.1), 5-methyluridine (0.98), pseudouridine (1.54), 1-methyladenosine (0.15), N6-methyladenosine (0.01), 7-methyladenosine (0.10), 2-methyladenosine (0.03), 7-methylguanosine (0.20), N2-methylguanosine (0.14), 1-methylguanosine (0.14), a methylated pyrimidine (0.17), a methylated derivative of N6-(delta 2-isopentenyl)adenosine (0.02), ribose methylated nucleosides (0.02), 4-thiouridine (0.12), 2-thio-5-(N-methylaminomethyl) (0.09), and an unknown thionucleoside (0.12). Although the composition is similar to that of Escherichia coli in the proportion of major nucleosides, the content of pseudouridine and 5-methyluridine, and the degree of base and ribose methylation, the composition is more similar to that of the tRNA's of yeast and higher organisms in its lower degree of thiolation, the presence of significant amounts of 1-methyladenosine, and the low levels of 2-methyladenosine and 6-methyladenosine. Therefore, the nucleoside composition of B. subtilis presents some different aspects from those usually given as characteristic for bacterial tRNA's. It is not known whether these differences are due to variation between bacterial species in general or related to the process of differentiation.

Adenosine↗

Effects of T4 phage infection and anaerobiosis upon nucleotide pools and mutagenesis in nucleoside diphosphokinase-defective Escherichia coli strains.

Bacteriophage T4 encodes nearly all of its own enzymes for synthesizing DNA and its precursors. An exception is nucleoside diphosphokinase (ndk gene product), which catalyzes the synthesis of ribonucleoside triphosphates and deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs) from the corresponding diphosphates. Surprisingly, an Escherichia coli ndk deletion strain grows normally and supports T4 infection. As shown elsewhere, these ndk mutant cells display both a mutator phenotype and deoxyribonucleotide pool abnormalities. However, after T4 infection, both dNTP pools and spontaneous mutation frequencies are near normal. An E. coli strain carrying deletions in ndk and pyrA and pyrF, the structural genes for both pyruvate kinases, also grows and supports T4 infection. We examined anaerobic E. coli cultures because of reports that in anaerobiosis, pyruvate kinase represents the major route for nucleoside triphosphate synthesis in the absence of nucleoside diphosphokinase. The dNTP pool imbalances and the mutator phenotype are less pronounced in the anaerobic than in the corresponding aerobic ndk mutant strains. Anaerobic dNTP pool data, which have not been reported before, reveal a disproportionate reduction in dGTP, relative to the other pools, when aerobic and anaerobic conditions are compared. The finding that mutagenesis and pool imbalances are mitigated in both anaerobic and T4-infected cultures provides strong, if circumstantial, evidence that the mutator phenotype of ndk mutant cells is a result of the dNTP imbalance. Also, the viability of these cells indicates the existence of a second enzyme system in addition to nucleoside diphosphokinase for nucleoside triphosphate synthesis.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Selective irreversible inactivation of replicating mengovirus by nucleoside analogues: a new form of viral interference.

We describe the selective irreversible inhibition of mengovirus growth in cultured cells by a combination of two pyrrolopyrimidine nucleoside analogues, 5-bromotubercidin (BrTu) and tubercidin (Tu). At a concentration of 5 microgram/ml, BrTu reversibly blocked the synthesis of cellular mRNA and rRNA but did not inhibit either mengovirus RNA synthesis or multiplication. BrTu is a potent inhibitor of adenosine kinase, and low concentrations of BrTu (e.g., 0.5 microgram/ml), which did not by themselves inhibit cell growth, blocked phosphorylation of Tu and thus protected uninfected cells against irreversible cytotoxicity resulting from Tu incorporation into nucleic acids. In contrast, in mengovirus-infected cells, BrTu did not completely inhibit Tu incorporation into mengovirus RNA, allowing the formation of Tu-containing functionally defective polynucleotides that aborted the virus development cycle. This increased incorporation of Tu coupled to mengovirus infection could be attributed either to a reduction in the inhibitory action of BrTu and/or its nucleotide derivatives at the level of nucleoside and nucleotide kinases and/or, perhaps, to an effect upon the nucleoside transport system. The virus life cycle in nucleoside-treated cells progressed to the point of synthesis of negative strands and probably to the production of a few defective new positive strands. Irreversible virus growth arrest was achieved if the nucleoside mixture of BrTu (0.5 to 10 microgram/ml) and Tu (1 to 20 microgram/ml) was added no later than 30 min after virus infection and maintained for periods of 2 to 8 h. The cultures thus "cured" of mengovirus infection could be maintained and transferred for several weeks, during which they neither produced detectable virus nor showed a visible cytopathic effect; however, the infected and cured cells themselves, while metabolically viable, were permanently impaired in RNA synthesis and unable to divide. Although completely resistant to superinfecting picornaviruses, they retained the ability to support the growth of several other viruses (vaccinia virus, reovirus, and vesicular stomatitis virus), showing that cured cells had, in general, retained the metabolic and structural machinery needed for virus production. The resistance of cured cells to superinfection with picornaviruses seemed attributable neither to interferon action nor to destruction or blockade of virus receptors but more likely to the consumption of some host factor(s) involved in the expression of early viral functions during the original infection.

Adenosine↗

Nucleoside transporters and liver cell growth.

Liver parenchymal cells show a wide variety of plasma membrane transporters that are tightly regulated by endocrine and nutritional factors. This review summarizes work performed in our laboratory on these transport systems, particularly nucleoside transporters, which are up-regulated in physiological situations associated with liver cell growth. Rat hepatocytes show a Na+-dependent nucleoside transport activity that is stimulated by pancreatic hormones. Indeed, this biological activity appears to be the result of the co-expression of at least two isoforms of nucleoside carriers, CNT1 and CNT2 (also called SPNT). These two transporters are up-regulated during the early phase of liver growth after partial hepatectomy, although to different extents, suggesting differential regulation of the two isoforms. The recent generation of isoform-specific antibodies allowed us to demonstrate that carrier expression may also have complex post-transcriptional regulation on the basis of the lack of correspondence between mRNA and protein levels. The analysis of nucleoside transport systems in hepatoma cells and the comparison with those in hepatocytes has also provided evidence that the differentiation status of liver parenchymal cells may determine the pattern of nucleoside transporters expressed.

Animals↗

Chinese hamster ovary cell mutants specifically affected in the phosphorylation of C-purine nucleosides.

In Chinese hamster ovary cells, two different types of mutants resistant to purine nucleoside analogs have been isolated. One type of mutants selected in presence of C-nucleosides formycin A and formycin B (FomR mutants) exhibited a high degree of cross resistance to different C-nucleosides but showed very slight to no cross resistance to various N-nucleosides. In contrast, mutants selected in presence of toyocamycin (Toyr mutants) exhibited a high degree of cross resistance to all C- and N-adenosine analogs. Studies on the cellular uptake and phosphorylation of [3H]adenosine, [3H]tubercidin, and [3H]formycin A show that, unlike the Toyr mutants which show reduced phosphorylation of all three compounds, the FomR mutants show reduced cellular phosphorylation of only [3H]formycin A. It is suggested that the genetic lesion in the FomR mutants affects adenosine kinase in a novel manner that specifically affects the phosphorylation of C-purine nucleosides.

Adenosine↗

Chemical and genetic comparison of the glucose and nucleoside transporters.

Glucose and nucleoside uptake into human red cells occurs through protein(s) which copurify in a complex, known as band 4.5 of relative mass (Mr) 66,000 to 50,000. The specific inhibitor of glucose transport, [3H]cytochalasin B, and the specific inhibitor of nucleoside transport, [3H]nitrobenzylthioribofuranosylpurine ([3H]NBMPR), incorporate covalently into component(s) of band 4.5 upon irradiation with ultraviolet light. Both photolabelled components are shown to be glycoproteins, since their migration in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) is increased after treatment of photolabelled band 4.5 with endoglycosidase F. Peptide maps of the photolabelled components were compared. Red cell membranes were photolabelled with either [3H]cytochalasin B or [3H]NBMPR and subjected to SDS-PAGE. The region containing band 4.5 was cut and transferred to a second SDS-PAGE system and exposed to either papain or Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease. Papain (5 micrograms) completely cleaved band 4.5 and produced fragments of Mr 33,000, 26,000, 21,000, 15,000, and 12,500. Of these, the 21,000 fragment was the most conspicuous and it retained the label of [3H]cytochalasin B; the 33,000 fragment retained the label of [3H]NBMPR. The V8 protease (0.75 microgram) completely cleaved band 4.5 and produced fragments of Mr 35,000, 28,000, 22,000, 16,000, 13,500, and 9,000. The 28,000 fragment retained the label of [3H]cytochalasin B. The label of [3H]NBMPR was distributed along the gel in several regions comprising the 35,000, 28,000, and 16,000 fragments. Longer treatment with the V8 protease did not alter the position of the 28,000 [3H]cytochalasin B labelled peak, but completely abolished the [3H]NBMPR labelled peaks. Genetic segregation of the glucose and nucleoside transporters was determined in a lymphoma cell line. A mutant (14T- g) of S49 cells was selected which had lost the capacity to transport thymidine or to bind NBMPR. Uptake of either 2-deoxyglucose or 3-O-methylglucose, inhibitable by cytochalasin B, was not impaired in this mutant. It is concluded that the nucleoside and glucose transporters are glycoprotein components of band 4.5, which are differentiated by peptide map analysis. Further, a lymphoblast mutant was isolated which had lost the nucleoside transport function but retained the glucose transport function.

Carrier Proteins↗

[125I]iodohydroxynitrobenzylthioinosine: a new high-affinity nucleoside transporter probe.

[125I]iodohydroxynitrobenzylthioinosine ([125I]IH-NBMPR), a new gamma-labeled nucleoside transport inhibitor, has been prepared at a theoretical specific activity of 2000 Ci/mmol (1 Ci = 37 GBq). IH-NBMPR was more acidic than hydroxynitrobenzylthioinosine (H-NBMPR), having a pKa of 4.6. Site-specific binding of [125I]IH-NBMPR to membrane-enriched fractions (MEF) from S49 mouse lymphoma cells was pH dependent, increasing with the fraction of undissociated molecules present; it was maximal at pH 4.5 and negligible at pH 7.0. Scatchard analysis of specific binding to MEF from S49 cells under equilibrium conditions at pH 5.0 yielded a Kd of 15 nM (equivalent to 4.0 nM for the undissociated fraction of inhibitor molecules) and maximum number of binding sites (Bmax) of 4.9 pmol/mg protein. Specific binding of IH-NBMPR could not be demonstrated in MEF from AE1 cells, a nucleoside transport-deficient mutant of S49 cells. Influx of uridine into mouse erythrocytes at pH 5.0 in the presence of 5 microM IH-NBMPR (1.4 microM undissociated IH-NBMPR) was reduced to about 7% of the control value, indicating that this compound is an effective nucleoside transport inhibitor. Photoactivation of site-bound [125I]IH-NBMPR, following equilibration of the ligand with MEF from S49 cells at pH 5.0, resulted in specific covalent labeling of a polypeptide with a relative molecular mass of 52,000-63,000, identified on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels. These results indicate that the new, iodinated ligand is an inhibitor of nucleoside transport and that it binds specifically and with high affinity to nucleoside transporter polypeptides in mammalian cells.

Affinity Labels↗

Transport of endogenous nucleosides in guinea pig heart.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of transport of endogenous nucleosides into cardiac tissue from coronary circulation. The study was performed on the isolated perfused guinea pig heart, using the rapid paired tracers single-pass technique. The maximal cellular uptake (U(max)) and total cellular uptake (U(tot)) of adenosine, deoxyadenosine, thymidine, uridine, and cytidine were determined. The cellular uptake of adenosine was significantly higher than the cellular uptake of other studied nucleosides. To elucidate the mechanisms of nucleoside transport, competition studies were performed and the influence of S-(p-nitrobenzyl)-6-thioinosine (NBTI) and sodium ion absence on U(max) and U(tot) was investigated. Self- and cross-inhibition studies indicated the saturable mechanism of nucleosides transport into cardiac tissue and the involvement of different transport mechanisms for purine and pyrimidine nucleosides. The study also showed that both equilibrative-sensitive (es) and sodium-dependent transport were responsible for adenosine and thymidine cellular uptake.

Adenosine↗

Nucleoside deaminase: an enzymatic marker for stress erythropoiesis in the mouse.

The level of nucleoside deaminase was determined in extracts of mouse tissues obtained during a period of accelerated erythropoiesis induced by hypoxia, hemorrhage, or the injection of phenylhydrazine. Under these conditions a striking (10- to 100-fold) elevation of the enzyme activity occurred in the spleen. Similar results were obtained with the injection of purified erythropoietin. In control animals, only a trace of nucleoside deaminase activity was detected in the blood. During the reticulocyte response which followed erythropoietic stimulation, there was a sharp increase in the blood level of nucleoside deaminase, which rose up to 120 times that of control animals. By differential centrifugation, the enzyme was localized to the reticulocyte-rich fraction. Erythrocyte nucleoside deaminase remained elevated even after the reticulocyte count had fallen to normal in the phenylhydrazine-treated mice or to zero after the cessation of hypoxia. There was a very gradual decline in the enzyme activity in the blood which fell to the barely detectable control levels about 45 days after the initial reticulocyte response, a time period which corresponds to the survival of the mouse red blood cell. The persistence of high levels of nucleoside deaminase for the full life span of a generation of erythrocytes formed during stress, viewed in contrast to the virtual absence of the enzyme from normal erythrocytes of all ages, represents an enzymatic difference between the normal red blood cell and the cell produced under conditions of accelerated erythropoiesis.

Aminohydrolases↗

Effects of total parenteral nutrition with nucleoside and nucleotide mixture on D-galactosamine-induced liver injury in rats.

The effect of a nucleoside-nucleotide mixture on liver injury of rats induced by D-galactosamine was studied by examining changes in function and histopathology of the liver. Animals with liver damage received total parenteral nutrition with glucose and amino acids supplemented with a nucleoside-nucleotide mixture containing inosine, cytidine, GMP, uridine and thymidine, or with uridine which inhibits galactosamine injury, or with liver cell extract containing flavin adenine dinucleotide and nucleic acid derivatives. As control, animals with liver damage received total parenteral nutrition with glucose and amino acids only. The serum GOT and GPT concentrations were significantly lower in the group supplemented with nucleoside-nucleotide mixture than those in other groups. A large dose (1.2 g/kg) of uridine inhibited liver injury, but a lower dose (0.14 g/kg) did not have any effect, whereas nucleoside-nucleotide mixture containing the same amount of uridine inhibited the injury. Liver cell extract also did not improve liver function. Thus infusion of a physiological and balanced mixture of nucleosides or nucleotides may improve liver function in rats with liver injury.

Animals↗