Effect of adrenochrome on adenine nucleotides and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation in rat heart

Effects of adrenochrome, an oxidation product of epinephrine, on myocardial energy production were investigated by studying changes in adenine nucleotide content and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation activities in the isolated rat heart. Perfusion of the heart with 50 mg/L adrenochrome induced a marked decline in contractile force within 5 min and this was associated with a rapid decline in the myocardial ATP/AMP ratio. A significant decrease in ATP and ATP/ADP ratio as well as a significant increase in ADP and AMP content was observed at 10 min of perfusion with adrenochrome. Furthermore, mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation activities were unchanged except that an increase in state 4 respiration and a decrease in RCI value were seen in the heart perfused with adrenochrome for 10 min. Autoradiography of the sections from hearts perfused with 14C-adrenochrome revealed the localization of a significant amount of radioactivity on mitochondria. Adrenochrome at concentrations of 20 mg/L or higher was found to inhibit the oxidative phosphorylation activities of heart mitochondria under in vitro conditions. The depressant effects of adrenochrome on mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation were additive to those seen with calcium. These data suggest that adrenochrome in the presence of excess calcium in the myocardial cell may impair the process of energy production in mitochondria and this may result in contractile failure of hearts exposed to this cardiotoxic metabolite of epinephrine.     

Intermittent ischemia produces a cumulative depletion of mitochondrial adenine nucleotides in the isolated perfused rat heart

The purpose of the present study was to determine if repetitive myocardial ischemia would result in the cumulative loss of mitochondrial adenine nucleotides. Isolated perfused rat hearts were subjected to continuous or intermittent ischemia. A single 5-minute period of continuous ischemia did not result in a significant decrease in the mitochondrial adenine nucleotide pool; a single 10-minute period of ischemia resulted in a decrease of approximately 17%. Next, the adenine nucleotide content of mitochondria from preischemic and 30-minute continuous ischemic hearts was compared with two groups of hearts undergoing intermittent ischemia (both groups receiving a total of 30 minutes of ischemia). One group received three 10-minute episodes of ischemia interrupted by 5-minute periods of reperfusion (3 x 10-minute intermittent ischemia); the other intermittent ischemic group received six 5-minute episodes of ischemia interrupted by 5-minute periods of perfusion (6 x 5-minute intermittent ischemia). The mitochondrial adenine nucleotide content (expressed as nanomoles per nanomole cytochrome a) for the preischemic and 30-minute continuous ischemic hearts was 14.7 +/- 0.6 and 8.0 +/- 0.4, respectively. The mitochondrial adenine nucleotide content of the 3 x 10-minute intermittent ischemia group (8.5 +/- 0.5) was not significantly different from the 30-minute continuous ischemic group. The mitochondrial adenine nucleotide content of the 6 x 5-minute intermittent ischemia group (11.0 +/- 0.6) was significantly larger than that of the 30-minute continuous and the 3 x 10-minute intermittent ischemia groups (p less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Effects of adenine nucleotides on calcium binding by rat heart sarcoplasmic reticulum.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the interactions between ATP, ADP and calcium binding by rat heart sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles (SR), and to re-evaluate the assay method used to study calcium binding. Calcium binding or transport was studied by the Millipore filtration method. Rat heart SR has an unusually high Mg2+ stimulated ATPase activity (1.37 +/- 0.16 mumol Pi per min per mg at 25 degrees C) so that previous incubation with ATP in calcium binding studies releases ADP and Pi. By maintaining ATP at high and ADP at low concentrations with an ATP-regenerating system (phosphoenolpyruvate and pyruvate kinase), calcium binding capacity was increased by two to three times that of a non-ATP-regenerating system and there was a direct relationship between the amount of Ca-binding and SR protein concentration. When Ca2+ and Mg2+ concentrations were controlled and ATP and ADP concentrations were varied independently the initial rate of Ca-binding was inhibited 25% by 1 mmol.litre-1 ADP and 48% by 3mmol.litre-1 ADP. ATP limited the initial rate of Ca-binding only at ATP levels below 2mmol.litre-1. At low ATP concentrations Ca-release was observed. However, in the presence of an ATP-regenerating system no Ca-release was observed, even at low concentrations of ATP. This study shows that ADP is an inhibitor of Ca-binding by rat heart SR. However, the possibility that high ADP concentrations in the presence of Pi from ATP hydrolysis, could facilitate calcium release cannot be excluded. In addition to the possible physiological importance, these effects must be regarded when assaying rat cardiac SR calcium binding.     

Blood adenine nucleotides in Down's syndrome

Summary The levels of ATP, ADP and AMP were estimated in the blood of children with trisomic Down's syndrome. A 19% decrease of the three adenine nucleotides per unit packed-cell volume was found. The significance of these data with respect to the macrocytosis found in patients with Down's syndrome is discussed.

---

Zusammenfassung Bei Kindern mit trisomalem Down-Syndrom wurde der ATP-, ADP- und AMP-Spiegel im Blut gemessen. Es wurde eine 19% ige Verminderung der drei Adenin-Nukleotide pro Zellvolumen festgestellt. Die Signifikanz dieser Daten bei Patienten mit Down-Syndrom wird unter Berücksichtigung der Makrozyten diskutiert.

---

---

This study was supported by a grant from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.     

Metabolism of adenine nucleotides in human blood

Biologically active concentrations of potently vasoactive and platelet-active adenine nucleotides are generated in plasma by a variety of pathophysiological mechanisms. Although there is evidence that ATP and ADP are inactivated by endothelial ectonucleotidases, there has been little attempt to study the metabolic routes of their catabolism in blood or to assess the contribution of this process to their clearance in vivo. Therefore, we have studied the rates and patterns of catabolism of ATP, ADP, and AMP in whole blood, plasma, and isolated blood cells. Rates of degradation of each nucleotide in cell-free plasma ranged from 0.07-0.32 nmol/min/ml with 1 microM substrates to 1.1-3.6 nmol/min/ml with 100 microM substrates. The pattern of catabolism indicated that sequential dephosphorylation from ATP----ADP----AMP----adenosine occurs. In whole blood, the pattern was similar although ATP and ADP (but not AMP) breakdown was more rapid. This was due to leukocyte ectonucleotidase activity. The use of selective inhibitors demonstrated that catabolism was not due to nonspecific phosphatase activity and that plasma 5'-nucleotidase is distinct from ATPase or ADPase. In leukocytes, ATPase and ADPase activities were distinguishable, and each contributed substantially to the rates of catabolism in whole blood. Leukocyte 5'-nucleotidase did not measurably contribute to AMP dephosphorylation in blood. By comparison, ecto-ATPase and ecto-ADPase activities on cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells were similar to those on leukocytes while endothelial 5'-nucleotidase per 10(6) cells was equivalent to the soluble activity in 1 ml of blood or plasma.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Labeling of the releasable adenine nucleotides of washed human platelets.

In rabbit platelets, the metabolically active ATP pool equilibrates with the releasable ATP pool within 1 day. The studies showing this have now been extended to human platelets. Human platelets labeled with 14C-adenosine or 14C-adenine were incubated for up to 10 hr in vitro at 37 degrees C. After 10 hr, about 12% of the total platelet 14C-ATP and 14C-ADP had become releasable with thrombin (4.2 units/ml). Lysis of platelets did not occur, since less than 1% of the platelet-bound 51Cr from platelets labeled with this radioisotope appeared in the ambient fluid upon thrombin treatment. The 14C-ATP/14C-ADP ratio of the released adenine nucleotides (7.6) was similar to the 14C-ATP/14C-ADP ratio of the nonreleasable adenine nucleotides (7.1) 2 hr after the labeling with 14C-adenosine. However, upon prolonged incubation (10 hr) in vitro, the 14C-ATP/14C-ADP ratio of the releasable adenine nucleotides decreased to 2.7. The adenylate energy charge and the 14C-ATP/14C-ADP ratio of the metabolic adenine nucleotide pool did not change significantly during the time of observation. The 14C-ATP content of the platelets decreased by less than 1% hr of incubation at 37 degrees C. These observations are interpreted to mean that the 14C is transferred from the metabolically active, nonreleasable adenine nucleotide pool of human platelets into the releasable adenine nucleotide pool as ATP and is partially hydrolyzed there to yield ADP. The transfer of ATP across the storage organelle membrane of platelets may be similar to transport processes in the chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla and may represent a general phenomenon in cells that possess storage organelles containing adenine nucleotides.     

Catabolism of adenine nucleotides favors adenosine production following exercise in patients with chronic heart failure

BackgroundAdenosine 5′-triphosphate is catabolized to adenosine 5′-monophosphate (AMP), which is further degraded by 2 pathways: deamination to inosine 5′-monophosphate and ammonia by AMP deaminase, or dephosphorylation to adenosine and inorganic phosphate by 5′-nucleotidase. Because adenosine is believed to be cardioprotective and we have reported that ammonia production decreased after exercise in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF), we determined if plasma adenosine levels after exercise increases in patients with CHF.Methods and ResultsMaximal ergometer exercise tests with expired gas analysis were performed in 51 patients with CHF (age = 61 ± 2 years, New York Heart Association [NYHA] class I/II/III = 19/18/14) and 20 age-matched normal controls. Serial changes in both plasma ammonia and adenosine levels were determined. The ratio for Δammonia to peak work rate became smaller (control, NYHA I/II/III: 0.59 ± 0.13/0.41 ± 0.06/0.37 ± 0.10/0.22 ± 0.11 μg/dL·watts, respectively) and the ratio for Δadenosine to peak work rate was significantly higher in class III CHF (control, NYHA I/II/III: 0.93 ± 0.21/0.86 ± 0.14/1.11 ± 0.27/2.92 ± 0.67 nmol/L·watts, respectively).ConclusionIn patients with CHF after exercise, the plasma levels of adenosine increased along with the decrease in the plasma levels of ammonia. Considering the physiologic cardioprotective actions of adenosine, the enhanced adenosine production after exercise may be an important adaptive response in patients with CHF.     

Effects of adenine nucleotides on the proliferation of aortic endothelial cells.

The effects of adenine nucleotides and adenosine on DNA synthesis and cell growth have been studied in bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs). ATP produced a small but significant (+44%) increase of the fraction of BAECs whose nuclei are labeled by [3H]thymidine. This mitogenic effect was mimicked by ADP, the phosphorothioate analogues ATP gamma S and ADP beta S, and the nonhydrolyzable analogue adenosine 5'-(beta, gamma-imido)triphosphate (APPNP), whereas adenosine 5'-(alpha, beta-methylene)triphosphate (APCPP), a selective agonist of P2x-purinoceptors, had no effect at 10 microM and a small one at 100 microM; this profile is consistent with the involvement of P2y-receptors. Adenosine induced a mitogenic response of a magnitude similar to that of ATP. This effect was not reproduced by R-phenylisopropyl adenosine, by 5'-N-ethylcarboxamide adenosine, or by 2',5'-dideoxyadenosine, selective ligands of the A1- and A2-receptors and the P site, respectively, nor was it inhibited by 8-phenyltheophylline, an antagonist of both A1- and A2-receptors. The mechanism of this adenosine action thus remains unclear. ATP and ATP gamma S did not enhance the proliferation of BAECs cultured in the presence of fetal calf serum concentrations ranging from 0.5% to 10%. They inhibited the growth-promoting effect of basic fibroblast growth factor; among the various nucleotides tested, APCPP was the least effective to reproduce the action of ATP, suggesting the possible involvement of P2y-receptors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Excessive degradation of adenine nucleotides by up-regulated AMP deaminase underlies afterload-induced diastolic dysfunction in the type 2 diabetic heart

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is often complicated with diastolic heart failure, which decompensates under increased afterload. Focusing on cardiac metabolomes, we examined mechanisms by which T2DM augments ventricular diastolic stiffness in response to pressure overloading. Pressure–volume relationships (PVRs) and myocardial metabolomes were determined at baseline and during elevation of aortic pressure by phenylephrine infusion in a model of T2DM, OLETF, and its non-diabetic control, LETO. Pressure overloading augmented diastolic stiffness without change in systolic reserve in OLETF as indicated by a left-upward shift of end-diastolic PVR. In contrast, PVRs under cardioplegic arrest in buffer-perfused isolated hearts were similar in OLETF and LETO, indicating that extracellular matrix or titin remodeling does not contribute to the afterload-induced increase in stiffness of the beating ventricle of OLETF. Metabolome analyses revealed impaired glycolysis and facilitation of the pentose phosphate pathway in OLETF. Pressure overloading significantly reduced ATP and total adenine nucleotides by 34% and 40%, respectively, in OLETF but not in LETO, while NADH-to-NAD⁺ ratios were similar in the two groups. The decline in ATP by pressure overloading in OLETF was associated with increased inosine 5-monophosphate and decreased adenosine levels, being consistent with the 2.5-times higher activity of cardiac AMP deaminase in OLETF. Tissue ATP level was negatively correlated with tau of LV pressure and LVEDP. These results suggest that ATP depletion due to excessive degradation of adenine nucleotides by up-regulated AMP deaminase underlies ventricular stiffening during acute pressure overloading in T2DM hearts.     

Mechanism of loss of adenine nucleotides from mitochondria during myocardial ischemia.

We tested the hypothesis that loss of mitochondrial adenine nucleotides during myocardial ischemia is induced by the accumulation of inorganic phosphate (Pi) and a decrease in cytosolic ATP. In the isolated perfused rat heart, loss of mitochondrial adenine nucleotides (ATP + ADP + AMP) was preceded by the rise in tissue Pi and the loss of tissue ATP. After 30 min ischemia, the average rate of loss of mitochondrial adenine nucleotides was c. 1.5% of the initial pool/min. In isolated heart mitochondria, there are two pathways for adenine nucleotide release: a 'fast', phosphate-dependent pathway, which is inhibited by atractyloside; and a 'slow', phosphate-independent pathway, which is insensitive to atractyloside. Decreasing the pH from 7.4 to 6.5 significantly decreased the rate of release by the phosphate-dependent pathway (but not the phosphate-independent pathway). Analysis of release rates indicated that HPO4-2 is responsible for the phosphate-induced release; Vmax = 53.8% of the pool/per minute, Km = 7.5 mM. In vitro, extramitochondrial ATP inhibited adenine nucleotide release in the presence of Pi such that the rate of release was inversely proportional to the extramitochondrial [ATP]; extrapolation to zero ATP indicated a release rate of 2 to 3% of the pool/per minute, which is approximately equal to the rate of the 'slow' phosphate-independent pathway. Moreover, increasing the Pi concentration did not increase the rate of adenine nucleotide release in the presence of extramitochondrial ATP. Accumulation of mitochondrial adenine nucleotides was observed when the mitochondria were incubated in the presence of 4 mM or greater ATP. The results suggest that the rise in intracellular Pi during myocardial ischemia does not induce the loss of adenine nucleotides from the mitochondrial compartment, but rather that degradation of cytosolic ATP results in a slowing of ATP influx such that the rate of efflux (phosphate-independent) exceeds the rate of influx.     

Selective decrease in platelet dense granule adenine nucleotides during recovery from acute experimental thrombocytopenia and ensuing thrombocytosis in baboons

Serial measurements of platelet volume, platelet content of adenine nucleotides, beta-thromboglobulin (beta-TG), platelet factor 4 (PF4) and ex vivo platelet aggregation were made in baboons under basal, steady-state conditions of normal platelet production, and during recovery from acute thrombocytopenia induced by the exposure of flowing blood to spherical glass microbeads. The mean basal platelet count of 509 +/- 107 X 10(9)/l (+/- 1 SD; n = 4) fell acutely to 36.8 +/- 12.6 X 10(9)/l after the insertion of glass bead columns and blood filters, placed distally, for 60 min into surgically implanted arteriovenous-shunts in heparinized baboons. After the irreversible removal of up to 90% of the baseline circulating platelet population, recovery from thrombocytopenia was characterized by a constant rate of increase in circulating platelet counts (115 +/- 11 X 10(9)/l/d) and a rebound thrombocytosis to 1.5 times the basal platelet count after 7 d. Steadystate thrombocytopoiesis was achieved by 3-4 weeks after the onset of thrombocytopenia. Platelet dense granule ADP and ATP decreased significantly from 3.89 +/- 0.20 and 2.33 +/- 0.25 mumol/10(11) platelets respectively at baseline to 2.17 +/- 0.37 and 1.68 +/- 0.37 mumol/10(11) platelets respectively after 7 d (P less than 0.001 in both cases) and normalization was achieved only after 4 weeks. By contrast, the mean platelet volume and platelet content of beta-TG and PF4 did not change significantly throughout the course of study (P greater than 0.1 in both cases). Platelet function, assessed by platelet aggregation ex vivo, demonstrated that platelet function was not impaired despite the significant decrease in dense granule ADP. We conclude that a selective, temporal reduction in platelet dense granule adenine nucleotides reflects changes in the thrombocytopoietic control mechanism secondary to induction of acute thrombocytopenia.     

Inhibition of sympathetic neurotransmission in canine blood vessels by adenosine and adenine nucleotides.

Adenosine and the adenine nucleotides caused a greater relaxation of strips of canine saphenous vein and tibial artery when they had been contracted by nerve stimulation than by exogenous norepinephrine. An infusion of adenosine into the dogs' lateral saphenous vein, perfused at constant flow, caused a greater relaxation of this vein when constricted by electrical stimulation of the lumbar sympathetic chain than by exogenous norepinephrine. That this difference was due to inhibition by these compounds of the output of neurotransmitter from the sympathetic nerve endings was demonstrated by column chromatographic analysis of the radioactivity in the superfusion fluid of vein strips, previously incubated with tritiated norepinephrine. Both adenosine and adenosine triphosphate (10(-5) M) reduced the efflux of 3H-norepinephrine during nerve stimulation with electrical impulses. Adenosine also reduced the efflux caused by potassium (30 mM), but not that caused by tyramine (6 X 10(-6) M). Theophylline antagonized the inhibitory effect of adenosine on the sympathetic neurotransmission. We found that at 4 X 10(-4) M adenosine triphosphate still caused a decreased efflux of neurotransmitter during electrical stimulation, but with adenosine the 3H-norepinephrine efflux no longer decreased and the overflow of deaminated compounds increased. Furthermore, the same concentration of adenosine increased the efflux of 3H-norepinephrine and deaminated compounds in unstimulated strips, and the increase of 3H-norepinephrine was enhanced after monoamine oxidase inhibition. Thus, we conclude that at higher concentrations adenosine increases the intraneuronal leakage of norepinephrine out of the storage vesicles.     

Postischemic free radical production in the venous blood of the regionally ischemic swine heart. Effect of deferoxamine.

BACKGROUND. We tested the hypothesis that secondarily produced free radicals can be detected in venous coronary effluent without the need for direct exposure of postischemic tissue to the spin trapping agent alpha-phenyl-tert-butylnitrone (PBN). METHODS AND RESULTS. The left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) of pigs was ligated for 15, 30, 40, or 60 minutes, and the tissue was subsequently reperfused for 60 minutes. Venous effluent (6.5 ml) from the risk area was withdrawn sequentially at 1.5-minute intervals during reperfusion. The effluent blood was immediately infused (4.5 ml/min) with an isotonic saline solution containing 120 mM PBN. Preischemic control effluent samples were collected in an identical fashion. Plasma from each sample was extracted in organic solvent and subsequently analyzed by electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. Another group of pigs received an infusion of the metal chelator deferoxamine mesylate (25 mg/kg/hr) into the right atrium starting 1 hour before the 40-minute ligation and continuing throughout ligation and reperfusion. We were able to demonstrate the postischemic production of ESR signals for PBN adduct(s) from untreated hearts having spectral characteristics similar to an alkoxyl adduct (PBN-RO.; hyperfine splitting constants for beta-hydrogen [alpha H] = 2.0-2.25 G; nitrogen [alpha N] = 13.5-13.75 G). The reperfusion time course of PBN adduct production had a unique pattern: 1) multiple low-level bursts during the initial 15 minutes of reperfusion, and 2) a prominent PBN adduct signal during a relatively late time (20-25 minutes) of reperfusion. Total postischemic PBN adduct production rose with increasing duration (15-60 minutes) of ischemia and was associated with a progressive elevation of total lactate dehydrogenase in the effluent. Infusion of deferoxamine markedly diminished PBN adduct production as well as total release of lactate dehydrogenase. CONCLUSIONS. These data suggest the potential feasibility of using an ex vivo ESR spin trapping technique in blood-perfused models of cardiovascular injury and that chelatable free iron contributes to the production of alkoxyl radicals.     

Adenosine-induced increase in myocardial adenine nucleotides without adenosine-induced systemic hypotension

Summary In anaesthetized rabbits, the i.v. application of 1% adenosine (Ado) for 3 hours at a rate of 4 ml·h^–1·kg^–1 body weight increased the myocardial tissue levels of adenine nucleotides (AN) above the normal values by 39%. This increase in ATP and the sum of AN is a metabolic effect of the continuous and high supply of Ado and does not result from the Ado-induced systemic hypotension: Neither a comparable hypotension and reduction of circulatory work induced by phentolamine nor a massive volume loading caused changes in the AN. The compensation of the Ado-induced hypotension by a simultaneous i.v. application of caffeine or xylometazoline did not interfere with the accumulation of AN. The increase in AN was less pronounced, if norepinephrine was infused to maintain normotension. The increase in AN occurred in left and right ventricular myocardium to a similar extent, although the pressure-volume-work of the left ventricle decreased, and that of the right ventricle increased during Ado-application.This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Sonderforschungsbereich 68 Kardiovaskuläre Restitution und Organsubstitution     

Platelet volume and intraplatelet adenine nucleotides in various hematologic disorders

By recent advanced techniques, blood platelets have proved to be varied in size and metabolism in various hematologic disorders. We examined platelet volume and intraplatelet adenine nucleotides in 36 patients with various hematologic disorders in order to clarify the quantitative platelet abnormalities. Platelet volumes were smaller in patients with acute leukemia and aplastic anemia, and larger in patients with immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). The amount of intraplatelet ADP was decreased and ATP/ADP ratio was increased in acute leukemia, aplastic anemia and myeloproliferative disorders (MPD), which strongly suggested the presence of storage pool deficiency in these patients. Intraplatelet ADP per volume was decreased in acute leukemia, aplastic anemia and MPD, and ATP per volume was decreased in aplastic anemia. ATP content was increased in ITP in proportion to the increased platelet volume. These parameters were examined in 36 patients with the following hematologic disorders: 7 acute leukemia treated with cytotoxic chemotherapy, 5 aplastic anemia, 3 paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), 9 immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), 5 hypersplenism and 7 myeloproliferative disorders (MPD).     

Role of adenine nucleotides in insulin secretion from MIN6 pseudoislets

Insulin secretion from MIN6 cells configured as cell aggregates by culture on a gelatin substrate (pseudoislets) is enhanced compared to that of MIN6 cells grown as monolayers on tissue culture plastic, indicating the importance of beta-cell-to-beta-cell proximity for insulin release. In this study we have shown that glucose induced a biphasic release of insulin from pseudoislets, whereas the amplitude and duration of the responses of equivalent monolayer cells were much reduced. Purinergic aqonists have been implicated in intercellular communication between beta-cells, so we investigated whether adenine nucleotides co-released with insulin are responsible for the enhanced secretory responses of pseudoislets. We have demonstrated that MIN6 cells express purinergic A(1) and P2Y receptors, and that adenine nucleotides increased [Ca(2+)](i) with an efficacy of agonists being ATP > ADP > AMP. However, neither suramin nor the more selective A(1) antagonist 1,3-dipropyl-8-cyclopentylxanthine reduced glucose-induced insulin secretion from pseudoislets, and stimulation of monolayer cells with a range of adenine nucleotides did not enhance glucose-induced secretion. These results suggest that enhanced secretion from MIN6 pseudoislets is not due to increased paracrine/autocrine action of adenine nucleotides.     

Anticancer activities of adenine nucleotides in mice are mediated through expansion of erythrocyte ATP pools.

ATP and AMP exhibit significant anticancer activities against established footpad CT26 colon adenocarcinoma in CB6F1 mice. Adenosine, inorganic phosphate, and inorganic pyrophosphate were without such effects under identical conditions. Daily intraperitoneal injections of adenine nucleotides in large volumes of saline, starting after the tumors became palpable, resulted in inhibition of tumor growth and a few "cures." The treatment was not toxic to the host as determined by changes in body weights. Weight loss observed in animals upon progression of the fast-growing CT26 tumors was slowed markedly in adenine nucleotide-treated mice. The inhibition of weight loss in tumor-bearing mice was shown to be neither the cause nor the effect of the inhibition of tumor growth. Intraperitoneal injections of AMP or ATP but not of adenosine yielded expansions of erythrocyte ATP pools in host animals. The expanded erythrocyte ATP pools are stable over a period of hours, while slowly releasing micromolar amounts of ATP into the blood plasma compartment, leading to several-fold increases in plasma (extracellular) ATP levels. Based on previous studies in which 1-5 microM extracellular ATP effectively inhibited the growth of a variety of tumor cells in several in vitro systems, it is suggested that similar levels of ATP in blood plasma account for the anticancer activities observed in a murine host.