5'-deoxy-5'-methylthioadenosine phosphorylase--II. Role of the enzyme in the metabolism and antineoplastic action of adenine-substituted analogs of 5'-deoxy-5'-methylthioadenosine

The biological activities of several previously synthesized [J. A. Montgomery et al., J. med. Chem. 17, 1197 (1974)] adenine-substituted analogs of 5'-deoxy-5'-methylthio- or 5'-deoxy-5'-ethyl-thioadenosine, including the 2-fluoroadenine, 2-chloroadenine, 2,6-diaminopurine, 8-azaadenine, and 4-aminopyrazolo [3,4-d]pyrimidine-containing derivatives, have been reexamined. It is demonstrated that many of these analogs are cleaved to their respective free base analogs by 5'-deoxy-5'-methyl-thioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAPase), an enzyme associated with polyamine biosynthesis, and that this reaction is necessary for the cytotoxic action of these MTA analogs to be fully expressed. Evidence to support this includes: (1) the growth of two MTAPase-containing human colon carcinoma cell lines (the HCT-15 and DLD-1 lines) was inhibited by these analogs, whereas an MTAPase-deficient cell line, the CCRF-CEM human T-cell leukemia, was relatively insensitive to their cytotoxic action; (2) extracts of the MTAPase-containing colon carcinoma cell lines were able to cleave these analogs to their respective free base analogs; in contrast, extracts of MTAPase-deficient CCRF-CEM cells were unable to cleave these analogs; (3) intact colon carcinoma cells converted these MTA analogs to their corresponding 5'-phosphorylated analog nucleotides, whereas CCRF-CEM cells did not, at least to detectable levels; and (4) the MTA analog, 5'-deoxy-5'-ethylthio-4-aminopyrazolo [3,4-d]pyrimidine ribonucleoside, which is not a substrate of MTAPase, did not form analog nucleotides and was essentially noncytotoxic to all cell lines tested, whereas the corresponding adenine analog, 4-aminopyrazolo [3,4-d]pyrimidine, readily formed analog nucleotides and was highly cytotoxic to all the lines. It is postulated that the corresponding adenine analog 5'-phosphorylated nucleotides are the primary active metabolites of these MTA analogs, having been formed by the cleavage of these nucleosides to free adenine analogs by MTAPase, followed by the conversion of these base analogs to analog nucleotides by adenine phosphoribosyltransferase and the enzymes of adenine nucleotide phosphorylation. This pathway represents a novel drug-activation system for the synthesis of analog nucleotides and has the potential to be exploited chemotherapeutically.     

5'-Deoxy-5'-methylthioadenosine: a nucleoside which differentiates between adenosine receptor types

The activities of an endogenous nucleoside, 5'-deoxy-5'-methylthioadenosine (MTA), on adenosine sensitive sites such as adenosine A1 and A2 receptors and the P-site, as well as on purine nucleoside transport, have been studied. This nucleoside competitively antagonized the A2 receptor-mediated stimulation of neuroblastoma adenylate cyclase, produced a GTP-dependent and 8-p-sulfophenyltheophylline-sensitive inhibition of adenylate cyclase activity in rat cerebellar membranes, and decreased the spontaneous contractile activity of isolated segments of rabbit jejunum. MTA was neither active at the P-site nor did it diminish the binding of [3H]nitrobenzylthioinosine, a nucleoside transport inhibitor. We conclude that (a) MTA is an agonist at the adenosine A1 receptor but an antagonist at the A2 receptor, and (b) the adenosine receptor which causes relaxation of rabbit jejunum is not a neuroblastoma-type A2 receptor which activates adenylate cyclase.     

5'-deoxy-5'-methylthioadenosine phosphorylase--IV. Biological activity of 2-fluoroadenine-substituted 5'-deoxy-5'-methylthioadenosine analogs

5'-Deoxy-5'-methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAPase) phosphorolyzes 5'-deoxy-5'-methylthioadenosine (MTA) generated during polyamine biosynthesis to adenine and 5-methylthioribose-1-phosphate. Two doubly-substituted, 2-fluoroadenine-containing analogs of MTA, 5'-deoxy-2-fluoroadenosine (5'-dFAdo) and 5'-deoxy-5'-iodo-2-fluoroadenosine (5'-IFAdo), were synthesized and studied as substrates of MTAPase: their reaction with this enzyme resulted in the liberation of the cytotoxic base, 2-fluoroadenine, as well as potentially cytotoxic analogs of 5-methylribose-1-phosphate. The activities of these MTA analogs were compared to that of the singly-substituted analog, 5'-deoxy-5'-methylthio-2-fluoroadenosine (5'-MTFAdo). The cytotoxic action of these MTA analogs depended primarily on their conversion to 2-fluoroadenine-containing nucleotides, as a cell line that contains both MTAPase and adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (APRT) activity (HL-60 human promyelocytic leukemia) readily converted these MTA analogs to 2-fluoroadenine-containing nucleotides (especially 2-fluoroadenosine triphosphate) and was highly sensitive to the growth-inhibitory effects of all three compounds (IC50 values in the 10(-8) M range), whereas cell lines lacking MTAPase (CCRF-CEM human T-cell leukemia) or APRT (HL-60/aprt1 cells) did not form analog nucleotides and were relatively insensitive to these compounds (IC50 values in the 10(-5) M range). The doubly-substituted analogs were not more growth inhibitory than 5'-MTFAdo in wild type HL-60 cells as the potent effects of 2-fluoroadenine may mask the activity of the 5-methylthioribose-1-phosphate analogs generated in the reaction of these compounds with MTAPase. 5'-dFAdo and 5'-IFAdo also were irreversible inhibitors of S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase, which may explain in part the weak but observable growth inhibitory action of these compounds against MTAPase-deficient cell lines.     

5'-deoxy-5'-methylthioadenosine phosphorylase--V. Acycloadenosine derivatives as inhibitors of the enzyme

Various adenosine acyclonucleoside derivatives were tested as inhibitors of 5'-deoxy-5'-methylthioadenosine (MeSAdo) phosphorylase, an enzyme involved in the salvage of adenine and methionine from MeSAdo. The 2-halogenated derivatives of acyloadenosine [9-(2-hydroxyethoxy-methyl)adenine], including the chloro-, bromo- and iodo-congeners, all inhibited murine Sarcoma 180 (S180) MeSAdo phosphorylase, with Ki values in the range of 10(-6) to 10(-5) M. Halogenated derivatives of 9-(1,3-dihydroxy-2-propoxymethyl)adenine, which more closely resemble the natural substrate, were substantially more potent inhibitors of the enzyme, with Ki values in the range of 2-7 x 10(-7) M. 5'-Methylthio and 5'-halogenated analogs of 2'-deoxy-1',2'-seco-adenosine were weak inhibitors, with Ki values of 10(-4) M or greater. 9-[(1-Hydroxy-3-iodo-2-proxy)methyl]adenine. (HIPA), the derivative with the lowest Ki values among these analogs, was a competitive inhibitor of S180 MeSAdo phosphorylase. In preliminary studies, HIPA inhibited MeSAdo phosphorylase in intact HL-60 human promyelocytic leukemia cells, as it limited the incorporation of [8-14C]MeSAdo into cellular adenine nucleotide pools. In addition, 9-(phosphonoalkyl)adenines, representing potential multisubstrate inhibitors of MeSADo phosphorylase, were synthesized. Of these the heptyl derivative was the most potent inhibitor, with a Ki of 1.5 x 10(-5) M at low (3.5 mM) phosphate concentrations. The inhibitory effects of these analogs could be ablated at high phosphate concentrations (50 mM), suggesting that they interact with the phosphate binding site on the enzyme. Some of these novel MeSAdo phosphorylase inhibitors may have a role in cancer chemotherapy as potentiators of agents that block purine de novo synthesis, e.g. antifolates and 6-methylmercaptopurine ribonucleoside.     

Structural analogs of 5'-methylthioadenosine as substrates and inhibitors of 5'-methylthioadenosine phosphorylase and as inhibitors of human lymphocyte transformation

5'-Deoxy-5'-methylthioadenosine (MTA) phosphorylase was purified 13.4-fold from human peripheral lymphocytes. The enzyme demonstrated normal Michaelis-Menten kinetics with Km values of 26 microM and 7.5 mM for the two substrates, MTA and phosphate, respectively. The rate of MTA degradation was temperature dependent, 47 degrees being the optimum temperature. Five structural analogs served as alternative substrates with Km values ranging from 31 to 53 microM while two compounds, 5'-deoxy-5'-methylthiotubercidin (MTT) (Ki = 31 microM) and adenine (Ki = 172 microM), were inhibitory. These same analogs were examined as inhibitors of mitogen-induced human lymphocyte blastogenesis. MTT was found to be the most effective inhibitor of lymphocyte transformation with an I50 of 80 microM.     

Pathways of nucleotide metabolism in Schistosoma mansoni. IV. Incorporation of adenosine analogs in vitro

The incorporation in vitro of adenine or adenosine analogs into schistosome nucleotides is demonstrated. Tubercidin, 2-fluoroadenosine and 2-fluoroadenine were all shown to be converted into analog triphosphate nucleotides. Since tubercidin and 2-fluoroadenosine are not substrates for adenosine deaminase or purine nucleoside phosphorylase and are not susceptible to degradation to the free base level, it is assumed that they are converted to nucleotides by reaction with adenosine kinase. The incorporation of 2-fluoroadenine into the nucleotide pools indicates that it serves as a substrate for adenine phosphoribosyltransferase.Tubercidin, added to the culture medium, interferes with the maintenance of normal ATP levels. When the concentration of the analog greatly exceeded that of adenine or adenosine in the medium, virtual shutdown of adenosine triphosphate synthesis followed. It is suggested that stoichiometric competition for enzyme sites may determine the relative amounts of nucleotides formed.     

5-氟胞苷和5＇-脱氧-5-氟胞苷的合成

5-氟胞嘧啶经苯甲酰化保护后分别与供糖体四乙酰核糖和5-脱氧三乙酰核糖缩合,再经氨解,以45.7%和42.6%的收率分别制得5-氟胞苷和5＇-脱氧-5-氟胞苷。     

Inhibition of lymphocyte-mediated cytolysis by adenosine analogs. Biochemical studies concerning mechanism of action.

A number of adenosine (Ado) analogs have been found to inhibit lymphocyte-mediated cytolysis (LMC) in vitro at μM concentrations. Those analogs which are substrates for adenosine deaminase were more inhibitory to LMC in the presence of erythro-9-(2-hydroxy-3-nonyl)adenine, an inhibitor of the deaminase. The inhibitory activity of most of these analogs (the exceptions being 2′-deoxyadenosine, 9-β-d-arabinofuranosyladenine and 7-deazaadenosine) was markedly enchanced by an inhibitor (Ro 20-1724) of cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase. With the exceptions of 2-fluoroadenosine, 7-deazaadenosine and formycin A, the inhibition of LMC caused by the Ado analogs was fully reversible upon removal of the analogs from the medium. In general, the Ado analogs did not cause a reduction in the pool sizes of endogenous ribonucleoside 5′-triphosphates in the lymphocytes. Some inhibitory and non-inhibitory analogs were metabolized to their corresponding 5′-triphosphates. Lymphocytes pretreated with a reversible inhibitor of LMC, 2-aminoadenosine, retained most of the resultant 2-amino-ATP during subsequent incubation in analog-free medium. Most of the Ado analogs which were inhibitory to LMC caused a substantial elevation of lymphocyte cyclic AMP; the magnitude of this elevation was enhanced by Ro 20-1724. Collectively, these results suggest that Ado and many of its structural analogs inhibit LMC by reason of their ability to stimulate the formation and consequent build-up of cyclic AMP in the cytotoxic lymphocytes. This stimulation of adenylate cyclase appears to result from the binding of an appropriate nucleoside to an adenosine receptor located on the membrane of the lymphocytes.     

Effects of adenosine analogs and adenine nucleotides on adenosine 5'-diphosphate-induced rat platelet aggregation

Various adenosine analogs and adenine nucleotides have been tested as inhibitors of ADP-induced aggregation of rat platelets. The potent inhibitors of human platelet aggregation, adenosine, 2-fluoroadenosine, 2-chloroadenosine, carbocyclic adenosine and N⁶-phenyl adenosine, had little effect on rat platelet aggregation (0–30 per cent inhibition). The effects of adenosine or its analogs on ADP-induced aggregation of cross-species platelet-rich plasmas (PRPs) (human platelets suspended in rat plasma or rat platelets in human plasma) were similar to those with the native PRPs, indicating that these species differences were due to intrinsic factors in the platelets and not in the plasma. When these analogs were tested in the presence of the cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase inhibitor papaverine, strong inhibiton of rat platelet ADP-induced aggregation was seen. 2′-Deoxyadenosine and 3′-deoxyadenosine were not inhibitory to ADP-induced aggregation of rat PRP even in the presence of papaverine. Adenosine 5′-tetraphosphate strongly inhibited both human and rat platelet aggregation. AMP, like adenosine, did not inhibit rat platelet aggregation but became strongly inhibitory in the presence of papaverine. This inhibitory effect was abolished by preincubating rat PRP with an adenylate cyclase inhibitor, 2′, 5′-dideoxyadenosine or adenosine deaminase. In the later case, however, if the adenosine deaminase inhibitor 2′-deoxycoformycin was included in the incubation mixture, the inhibition by AMP plus papaverine was similar to adenosine plus papaverine. About 50 per cent of [¹⁴C]AMP was converted to [¹⁴ C]adenosine in rat platelet-free plasma or PRP after a 10-min incubation. α,β-Methylene-ADP and β,γ-methylene-ATP (200 μM) inhibited rat platelet aggregation by 50 and 64 per cent, respectively. Cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase of rat and human platelets gave comparable K_m, and V_max values (K_m 0.53 and 0.21μM and V_max 6.0 and 6.7 pmoles/min/10⁷ platelets, respectively).     

Inhibitory action of adenosine and adenosine analogs on neurotransmission in the olfactory cortex slice of guinea pig - structure-activity relationships

The postsynaptic potential (PSP) was recorded from thin slices of the olfactory cortex of the guinea pig. Application of adenosine and adenine nucleotides such as 5'-ATP, 5'-ADP and 5'-AMP in the incubation medium, depressed the amplitude of the PSP without altering the presynaptic fiber potential. The other purine and pyrimidine derivatives had no inhibitory effect. The inhibitory action of adenosine and adenine nucleotides on the PSP were manifest at concentrations of 5 microM-1 mM. Adenosine, 5'-ATP, 5'-ADP and 5'-AMP were equipotent in evoking depression of PSPs. Inhibition occurred within 10-20 sec after administration of the agents and the depressant effect disappeared rapidly after the removal of the compounds from the medium. Theophylline reversed and prevented the inhibition produced by adenosine and adenine nucleotides. To test the structure-activity relationships of these compounds, adenosine analogs and adenine nucleotide derivatives were applied to the medium. The 6-aminopurine riboside (adenosine radical) was found to be essential for inhibitory action on the PSP. Among adenosine analogs, the presence of at least one hydrogen atom in the amino group at the 6-position of the purine, and the OH group at the 2'-position of the ribose was essential for inhibitory activity.     

Role of adenosine in the spinal antinociceptive and morphine modulatory actions of neuropeptide FF analogs

The neuropeptide FF (Phe-Leu-Phe-Gln-Pro-Gln-Arg-Phe-NH(2)) and its synthetic analogs bind to specific receptors in the spinal cord to produce antinociceptive effects that are partially attenuated by opioid antagonists, and at sub-effective doses neuropeptide FF receptor agonists augment spinal opioid antinociception. Since adenosine plays an intermediary role in the production of spinal opioid antinociception, this study investigated whether this purine has a similar role in the expression of spinal effects produced by neuropeptide FF receptor agonists. In rats bearing indwelling spinal catheters, injection of adenosine receptor agonists, N6-cyclohexyladenosine (CHA, 1.72 nmol) and N-ethylcarboxiamidoadenosine (NECA, 1.95 nmol), as well as morphine (13.2 nmol) elicited antinociception in the tail-flick and paw-pressure tests. Pretreatment with intrathecal 8-phenyltheophylline (5.9 and 11.7 nmol), an adenosine receptor antagonist, blocked the effect of all three agents without influencing baseline responses. Administration of two synthetic neuropeptide FF (NPFF) analogs, [D-Tyr(1),(NMe)Phe(3)]NPFF (1DMe, 0. 86 nmol) and [D-Tyr(1),D-leu(2),D-Phe(3)]NPFF (3D, 8.6 nmol) produced sustained thermal and mechanical antinociception. Pretreatment with doses of intrathecal 8-phenyltheophylline (5.9, 11. 7 and 23.5 nmol), producing adenosine receptor blockade, significantly inhibited the antinociceptive effects of 1DMe or 3D. Injection of a sub-antinociceptive dose of 1DMe (0.009 nmol) significantly augmented the antinociceptive effect of intrathecal morphine (13.2 nmol) in the tail-flick and paw-pressure tests. Intrathecal 8-phenyltheophylline (11.7 nmol) reduced the effect of this combination. Administration of low dose of 1DMe (0.009 nmol) or 3D (0.009 nmol) very markedly potentiated the antinociceptive actions of the adenosine receptor agonist, N6-cyclohexyladenosine (0. 43, 0.86 and 1.72 nmol) in the tail-flick and paw-pressure tests 50 min after injection. The results suggest that the antinociceptive and morphine modulatory effects resulting from activation of spinal NPFF receptors could be due to an increase in the actions or availability of adenosine.     

4',5'-unsaturated 5'-halogenated nucleosides. Mechanism-based and competitive inhibitors of S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine hydrolase

The design and synthesis of (E)- and (Z)-5'-fluoro-4',5'-didehydro-5'-deoxyadenosine (6 and 13, respectively), a new class of mechanism-based inhibitors of S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine (SAH) hydrolase, is described. A number of analogues of 6 and 13 were synthesized in order to determine the structure-activity relationship necessary for inhibition of the enzyme. Substitution of chlorine for fluorine in 6 (i.e. 44), addition of an extra chlorine to the 5'-vinyl position (i.e. 51 and 52), modification of the 2'-hydroxyl group to the deoxy (34 and 35) and arabino (36 and 37) nucleosides provided competitive inhibitors of SAH hydrolase. Nucleosides 6 and 13, as well as 5'-deoxy-5',5'-difluoroadenosine (14) proved to be time-dependent inhibitors of SAH hydrolase. All three compounds are postulated to inhibit through the potent electrophile derived from oxidation of the 3'-hydroxyl of 6 or 13 to the ketone (i.e. 3 and/or the E-isomer). Consistent with the proposed mechanism of inactivation of SAH hydrolase by 6, 13, and 14 was the observation that incubation of purified rat liver SAH hydrolase with 6 resulted in release of 1 equiv of fluoride ion (by 19F NMR) and incubation with 14 resulted in release of 2 equiv of fluoride ion. The general synthetic route developed for the synthesis of the title nucleosides utilized the fluoro Pummerer reaction for the introduction of fluorine into the requisite precursors. Preliminary antiretroviral data from Moloney leukemia virus (MoLV) is presented and correlates with SAH hydrolase inhibition. Antiviral activity (IC50 against MoLV) ranged from 0.05 to 10 micrograms/mL.     

Differences in the metabolism and metabolic effects of the carbocyclic adenosine analogs, neplanocin A and aristeromycin

Neplanocin A and aristeromycin are carbocyclic adenosine analogs that differ only in that neplanocin A contains a double bond in the carbocyclic ring, whereas this ring in aristeromycin is saturated. We have compared the metabolism and some of the metabolic effects of neplanocin A and synthetic (+/-)-aristeromycin (C-Ado) in murine leukemia L1210 cells in culture. C-Ado, as shown earlier, was not only converted to its own phosphates but also was metabolized to phosphates of carbocyclic guanosine. Both rapidly proliferating and slowly proliferating or resting cells phosphorylated C-Ado, but C-Ado was not converted to phosphates of carbocyclic guanosine in detectable amounts in cells whose growth had reached a plateau. When the metabolism of neplanocin and C-Ado was examined in the same experiment, both analogs were converted to the triphosphate analogs of ATP; no conversion of neplanocin A to the corresponding carbocyclic analogs of guanine nucleotides was detected, whereas C-Ado was converted to the carbocyclic analog of GTP in amounts that approximated the GTP pool. This difference in metabolism was associated with a marked difference in effects of the two analogs on the utilization of hypoxanthine and guanine which was inhibited by C-Ado but not by neplanocin. The failure of neplanocin A to be converted to analogs of guanine nucleotides apparently is the result of poor capacity of its monophosphate to serve as a substrate for AMP deaminase; the Vmax for deamination of neplanocin-5'-monophosphate by this enzyme was only 5% of that for C-Ado monophosphate. In contrast, neplanocin A was a better substrate than C-Ado for adenosine deaminase.     

Pathways of nucleotide metabolism in schistosoma mansoni. V. Adenosine cleavage enzyme and effects of purine analogues on adenosine metabolism in vitro

Schistosoma mansoni extracts have been found to possess an active anabolic pathway for nucleotide biosynthesis in which adenosine is cleaved to adenine followed by conversion of adenine to AMP via adenine phosphoribosyltransferase. A significant fraction of labeled adenosine was found to enter the nucleotide pool by this pathway; howeverm, most of the nucleoside was converted to nucleotides by a pathway which employs adenosine deaminase, purine nucleoside phosphorylase and hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase enzymes. Formycin A has been found to be a potent blocker of adenosine cleavage when tested in worm extracts. Arabinosyl-6-mercaptopurine and 6-thioguanosine are inhibitors of worm adenosine deaminase, and formycin B and 6-thioguanosine were found to inhibit the purine nucleoside phosphorylase of this parasite. Combinations of arabinosyl-6-mercaptopurine with either formycin A or formycin B result in substantial blockage of adenosine utilization for nucleotide synthesis. These studies thus suggest that adenosine analogues in combination might be useful in vivo for the chemotherapy of schistosomiasis.     

Interaction of adenosine analogs with morphine in analgesic tests.

The effect of selective adenosine receptor agonists on nociceptive responses of mice and rats and on morphine analgesia was investigated. All compounds used: phenylisopropyladenosine (R-PIA), adenosine ethylcarboxamide (NECA), cyclohexyladenosine (CHA) and 2-chloroadenosine (2-CADO) exhibited antinociceptive action in mice and rats in the hot-plate (56 degrees C) and tail-immersion (52 degrees C) tests. R-PIA, CHA and NECA potentiated the antinociceptive action of morphine in mice, and R-PIA and NECA--in rats. 2-CADO did not affect the morphine action in the tests.     

Role of a copper (I)-dependent enzyme in the anti-platelet action of S-nitrosoglutathione.

1. S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) is a potent and selective anti-platelet agent, despite the fact that its spontaneous rate of release of nitric oxide (NO) is very slow. Our aim was to investigate the mechanism of the anti-aggregatory action of GSNO. 2. The biological action of GSNO could be mediated by NO released from S-nitrosocystylglycine, following enzymatic cleavage of GSNO by gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase. The anti-aggregatory potency of GSNO was not, however, altered by treatment of target platelets with the gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase inhibitor acivicin (1 mM). gamma-Glutamyl transpeptidase is not, therefore, involved in mediating the action of GSNO. 3. The rate of breakdown of S-nitrosoalbumin was increased from 0.19 +/- 0.086 nmol min-1 to 1.52 +/- 0.24 nmol min-1 (mean +/- s.e.mean) in the presence of cysteine (P < 0.05, n = 4). Inhibition of platelet aggregation by S-nitrosoalbumin was also significantly increased by cysteine (P < 0.05, n = 4), suggesting that the biological activity of S-nitrosoalbumin is mediated by exchange of NO from the protein carrier to form the unstable compound cysNO. Breakdown of GSNO showed a non-significant acceleration in the presence of cysteine, from 0.56 +/- 0.22 to 1.77 +/- 0.27 nmol min-1 (mean +/- s.e.mean) (P = 0.064, n = 4), and its ability to inhibit platelet aggregation was not enhanced by cysteine. This indicates that the anti-platelet action of GSNO is not dependent upon transnitrosation to form cysNO. 4. Platelets pretreated with the copper (I)-specific chelator bathocuproine disulphonic acid (BCS), then resuspended in BCS-free buffer, showed resistance to the inhibitory effect of GSNO. These findings suggest that BCS impedes the action of GSNO by binding to structures on the platelet, rather than by chelating free copper in solution. 5. Release of NO from GSNO was catalysed enzymatically by ultrasonicated platelet suspensions. This enzyme had an apparent K(m) for GSNO of 12.4 +/- 2.64 microM and a Vmax of 0.21 +/- 0.03 nmol min-1 per 10(8) platelets (mean +/- s.e.mean, n = 5). It was inhibited by BCS, but not by the iron chelator bathophenathroline disulphonic acid, nor by acivicin. 6. We conclude that the stable S-nitrosothiol compound GSNO may exert its anti-platelet action via enzymatic, rather than spontaneous release of NO. This is mediated by a copper-dependent mechanism. The potency and platelet-selectivity of GSNO may result from targeted NO release at the platelet surface.     

Regulation of glycogen metabolism in hepatocytes through adenosine receptors. Role of Ca2+ and cAMP

The objective of this work is to identify the adenosine receptor subtype and the triggered events involved in the regulation of hepatic glycogen metabolism. Glycogenolysis, gluconeogenesis, cAMP, and cytosolic Ca2+ ([Ca2+](cyt)) were measured in isolated hepatocytes challenged with adenosine A1, A2A, and A3 receptor-selective agonists. Stimulation of adenosine receptor subtypes with selective agonists in Ca2+ media produced a dose-dependent increase in [Ca2+]cyt with A1>A2=A3, cAMP with A2A, glycogenolysis with A1>A2A>A3, and gluconeogenesis with A2A>A1>A3, in addition, a decrease in cAMP was observed with A1=A3. Comparatively, in Ca2+-free media or with a cell membrane-permeant Ca2+ chelator, activation of these adenosine receptors with the same selective agonists produced a smaller and transient rise in [Ca2+]cyt with A1=A3>A2, no rise in glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis with A3>A1, but a full rise with A2A. Thus, in isolated rat hepatocytes activation of the adenosine A1 receptor triggered Ca2+-mediated glycogenolysis, activation of the adenosine A2A receptor stimulated cAMP-mediated gluconeogenesis, and activation of the adenosine A3 receptor increased [Ca2+]cyt and decreased cAMP with minor changes in glycogen metabolism.