Effects of adenosine analogues on ATP concentrations in human erythrocytes. Further evidence for a route independent of adenosine kinase

Adenosine derivatives are frequently used in chemotherapy because of their potent antitumor, antiviral and antiparasitic activity. We investigated the metabolism of some adenosine analogues in adenosine deaminase inhibited normal and adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (APRT) deficient human erythrocytes. The ATP and GTP concentrations and the formation of unusual nucleotides were measured. Some of the analogues studied (tubercidin, 9 beta-D-arabinofuranosyladenine, 2'-deoxyadenosine, 2-chloroadenosine, neplanocin A) were phosphorylated to the corresponding nucleoside triphosphates and this process was abolished by iodotubercidin--an adenosine kinase inhibitor. With the exception of 2'-deoxyadenosine, nucleotide analogue formation was accompanied by ATP depletion. ATP decrease was not observed after adenosine kinase inhibition and ATP concentration even increased in the presence of 2'-deoxyadenosine, neplanocin A and 5'-iodo-5'-deoxyadenosine. However, the latter increment was not observed in APRT deficient erythrocytes. Bredinin, S-adenosylhomocysteine, deoxycoformycin and adenosine dialdehyde did not form nucleotide derivatives or exert any effects on ATP concentration. It is concluded that adenosine analogues can either enter the nucleotide pool via phosphorylation mechanisms, or may be converted to ATP by the pathways involving the intermediate formation of adenine.     

Enhancement of cellular adenosine triphosphate levels in PC12 cells by extracellular adenosine

To elucidate the biological significance of extracellular adenine compounds, the effects of adenosine (Ado) on cellular levels of adenine compounds, especially adenosine triphosphate (ATP), in PC12 cells were studied. Ado and inosine but not adenosine 5'-monophosphate, adenosine 5'-diphosphate, ATP, guanosine, cytosine, thymidine, and uridine, significantly enhanced cellular ATP levels in PC12 cells in time- and dose-dependent manners. Various P1 receptor agonists of Ado did not enhance the ATP level. In addition, theophylline, an antagonist of P1 receptors, did not inhibit the Ado-evoked ATP enhancement. These results suggest that the Ado receptor is not involved in the augmentation of the cellular ATP level induced by Ado in PC12 cells. The ATP-enhancing effect of Ado was potentiated by dipyridamole, an inhibitor of Ado uptake, or coformycin, an inhibitor of Ado deaminase. The effect of Ado on the ATP level was also observed when PC12 cells were incubated in glucose-free medium. Together these results suggest that enhancement of cellular ATP levels in PC12 cells by extracellular Ado might be acceleration of ATP synthesis through the Ado salvage system using hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase rather than Ado kinase since 5'-iodotubercidin, an inhibitor of Ado kinase, had no effect on the enhancement elicited by Ado.     

Enhancement of cellular adenosine triphosphate levels in PC12 cells by 2,5-dideoxyadenosine, a P-site inhibitor of adenylate cyclase

To elucidate the biological significance of the P-site inhibitor of adenylate cyclase, the effect of 2,5-dideoxyadenosine (DDA) on cellular levels of adenine compounds in PC12 cells was studied. The addition of DDA and deoxyadenosine (deoxyAdo), P-site inhibitors of adenylate cyclase, as well as the addition of adenosine (Ado) to the incubation medium containing glucose as the sole nutrient significantly enhanced cellular ATP levels in PC12 cells. N6-Methyladenosine and N6-cyclohexyladenosine did not augment the ATP levels. The ATP level-enhancing effect of DDA was further enhanced by Ado. After pretreatment of PC12 cells with theophylline, DDA-induced ATP enhancement was potentiated by theophylline but the effect of Ado was suppressed. cAMP levels in PC12 cells were markedly reduced by DDA but the levels were not changed by Ado. These results suggest for the first time that P-site inhibitors of adenylate cyclase may stimulate ATP synthesis via glycolysis by decreasing cAMP levels and the mode of action of the ATP level-enhancing effect of DDA may be different from that of Ado.     

Adenosine metabolism in human whole blood. Effects of nucleoside transport inhibitors and phosphate concentration

Adenosine (Ado, 10 microM) was metabolized in whole blood within 1 min, primarily to hypoxanthine and ATP. The concentration of Ado, the activities of adenosine deaminase (ADA) and Ado kinase, the Km values for Ado with ADA and Ado kinase, and the substrate inhibition of Ado kinase are factors that govern the Ado metabolism between deamination and phosphorylation. If ADA activity was blocked by 2'-deoxycoformycin (dCF, 5 microM), a tight-binding inhibitor of ADA, most of the Ado (96%) was incorporated into adenine nucleotides, whereas if Ado kinase activity was blocked with 5-iodotubercidin (10 microM), Ado was mainly (95%) metabolized into hypoxanthine. A high phosphate concentration (25 mM) caused marked increases in the formation of IMP. The nucleoside transport inhibitors dilazep (1 microM), dipyridamole (10 microM) and nitrobenzylthioinosine (NBMPR, 1 microM) strongly blocked cellular Ado metabolism. In the presence of nucleoside transport inhibitors, Ado which slowly enters the cell was metabolized principally by Ado kinase rather than ADA. Dilazep, NBMPR and dipyridamole were more effective in blocking Ado uptake and metabolism by erythrocytes suspended in a protein-free medium than by cells suspended in plasma.     

Increase of ATP level in human erythrocytes induced by S-adenosyl-L-methionine

The effect of S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) on the ATP level, the morphology and the deformability of human erythrocytes was investigated and compared with that of adenosine. (i) Upon incubation with SAM, the ATP level increased considerably in fresh cells (in both young and old cells in similar extent) and in stored (partially ATP-depleted) cells. But the incubation with adenosine increased ATP level to a lesser extent. (ii) The incubation of stored cells with SAM hardly affected (or rather decreased) the IMP level, while that with adenosine remarkably increased IMP (and ITP). (iii) The morphology and the deformability of stored erythrocytes were well conserved in spite of the treatment with SAM, as compared with the treatment with adenosine. The echinocytic transformation was induced in old cells to some extent by SAM, while did not in young cells.     

Inhibition of lymphocyte function by 9-deazaadenosine

9-Deazaadenosine (c⁹Ado), a novel C-nucleoside, has been found to inhibit lymphocytemediated cytolysis (LMC) in a time-dependent manner. c⁹Ado inhibited LMC by 50% at concentrations of 10 and 0.07 μM after drug-pretreatment periods of 3 and 22 hr, respectively, although a 1-hr pretreatment of cytolytic lymphocytes with 100 μM c⁹Ado had no effect upon this lymphocyte function. c⁹Ado was metabolized rapidly and extensively to 9-deazaadenosine 5'-triphosphate (c⁹ATP) both by mouse cytolytic lymphocytes and by human erythrocytes. Adenosine kinase purified from rabbit liver phosphorylated c⁹Ado with a K_m of 200 μM and a V_max of 8% that for adenosine. The metabolic buildup of c⁹ATP in lymphocytes was accompanied by a large, time-dependent decrease in cellular ATP and by smaller percentage decreases in CTP, UTP and GTP. Among other biochemical effects examined, c⁹Ado was found to cause a decrease in lymphocyte cAMP content and appeared to be neither an inhibitor nor a substrate for S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase. Consistent with this latter result, l-homocysteine thiolactone had no effect on the inhibition of LMC by c⁹Ado. Neither the inhibition of LMC by c⁹Ado nor the metabolic formation of c⁹ATP in lymphocytes was affected by erythro-9-(2-hydroxy-3-nonyl) adenine (EHNA), indicating that c⁹Ado is not a substrate for adenosine deaminase. 5-Iodotubercidin, a non-competitive inhibitor (K₁₅ = 9 nM, K_ii = 20 nM) of adenosine kinase, prevented the above effects of c⁹Ado on lymphocyte function, c⁹ATP formation, and ATP levels. Either complete preservation (with coformycin) or partial replenishment (with adenosine plus EHNA) of ATP levels in c⁹Ado-treated lymphocytes resulted in partial restoration of cytolytic function to cells containing large amounts of c⁹ATP. These results suggest that c⁹Ado is inhibitory to LMC both because it causes a decrease in the absolute concentration of ATP within the cytolytic lymphocytes and because it permits the establishment within these cells of an unfavorable c⁹ATP: ATP ratio which impedes the utilization of ATP in a reaction essential to the execution of this lymphocyte function.     

Non-nucleoside inhibitors of human adenosine kinase: synthesis, molecular modeling, and biological studies

Adenosine kinase (AK) catalyzes the phosphorylation of adenosine (Ado) to AMP by means of a kinetic mechanism in which the two substrates Ado and ATP bind the enzyme in a binary and/or ternary complex, with distinct protein conformations. Most of the described inhibitors have Ado-like structural motifs and are nonselective, and some of them (e.g., the tubercidine-like ligands) are characterized by a toxic profile. We have cloned and expressed human AK (hAK) and searched for novel non-substrate-like inhibitors. Our efforts to widen the structural diversity of AK inhibitors led to the identification of novel non-nucleoside, noncompetitive allosteric modulators characterized by a unique molecular scaffold. Among the pyrrolobenzoxa(thia)zepinones (4a-qq) developed, 4a was identified as a non-nucleoside prototype hAK inhibitor. 4a has proapoptotic efficacy, slight inhibition of short-term RNA synthesis, and cytostatic activity on tumor cell lines while showing low cytotoxicity and no significant adverse effects on short-term DNA synthesis in cells.     

腺苷三磷酸通过P1受体影响兔窦房结起搏细胞电生理活动(英文)

目的:研究腺苷三磷酸(ATP)对兔离体窦房结起搏细胞动作电位的作用,分析相关受体。方法:利用细胞内微电极技术记录兔离体窦房结细胞跨膜电位。结果:ATP 0.1-3.0mmol/L浓度依赖性减慢窦房结自发搏动速率16％-43％,降低舒张期除极速率33％-67％,增大动作电位幅值6％9％,加快最大除极速率30％-76％,APD_(50)和APD_(90)分别缩短7％-12％和6.3％-9％,等浓度ATP、腺苷二磷酸(ADP)和腺苷(Ado)的效应相比时,各组间无显著性差异,尿苷三磷酸(UTP)和α,β-meATP对动作电位各参数均无影响,P1受体拮抗剂氨茶碱(0.1mmol/L)显著拮抗ATP和Ado的作用(P<0.05),且拮抗程度相同,P2受体拮抗剂反应兰2 (0.05mmol/L)不影响ATP的作用(P<0.05)。结论:兔窦房结不存在功能性P2X,和P2Y_2受体,ATP对兔窦房结的作用主要通过其降解产物Ado,由P1受体介导而发挥。     

A novel route of ATP synthesis.

Incorporation of the adenine moiety of 2'-deoxyadenosine (dAdo) into ATP, consistently observed in human erythrocytes, is a phenomenon which cannot be explained by the operation of any known pathway. We reported previously that this effect was not observed in adenine phosphoribosyltransferase-deficient erythrocytes showing that adenine must be an obligatory intermediate. However, generation of adenine from dAdo was difficult to reconcile with the operation of any known process in human cells, and involvement of S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase (SAH-hydrolase) was postulated. The present studies with intact human erythrocytes demonstrate that nucleoside analogues which inhibit SAH-hydrolase caused substantial attenuation of adenine transfer from dAdo into ATP. It was confirmed that dAdo is not a substrate of 5'deoxy-5'methylthioadenosine (5'MT-adenosine) phosphorylase. Inhibition of the transfer of the adenine moiety of dAdo into ATP did not correlate with inhibition of 5'MT-adenosine phosphorylase by nucleoside analogues. This report provides further evidence that the pathway involving nucleoside (adenosine) analogue binding to SAH-hydrolase, release of base and subsequent phosphoribosylation can operate in intact cells. The metabolic significance of this process relates to the possible generation of free bases (adenine) in the human body, ATP synthesis and nucleoside drug interconversions.     

The effect of adenyl compounds on the rat heart.

1 The effects of adenyl compounds were examined on the rat atrium and ventricle. 2 Adenosine, adenosine 5'-monophosphate, adenosine 5'-diphosphate, adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) and beta, gamma-methylene ATP (APPCP) produced negative inotropic effects on the rat atrium. These inhibitory effects were antagonized by 8-phenyltheophylline (8-PT), a P1-purinoceptor antagonist, and potentiated by erythro-9-(2-hydroxy-3-nonyl) adenine (EHNA), an adenosine deaminase inhibitor, but were not affected by dipyridamole, which blocks adenosine uptake. 3 alpha, beta-Methylene ATP (APCPP), which is resistant to degradation, did not produce a similar inhibitory response in the rat atrium. 4 Adenosine did not affect the basal developed force of the rat ventricle nor did it affect the beta-adrenoceptor-mediated positive inotropic effect. 5 Very high concentrations of ATP (0.1-3 mM) produced negative inotropic effects in the rat ventricle. APPCP (0.3 mM) also produced an inhibitory response, which was significantly smaller than that produced by ATP (0.3 mM). APCPP elicited excitation rather than the expected inhibitory response. 6 The inhibitory effect of ATP in the rat ventricle was not blocked by indomethacin, 8-PT or atropine. 7 It is possible that the action of ATP in the rat ventricle is mediated via P2-purinoceptors and that the lack of inhibitory action of APCPP on the rat ventricle is due to the difference in structural conformation between ATP and APCPP. 8 It seems likely that inhibitory P1-purinoceptors are present in the rat atrium and that the inhibitory responses produced by ATP in the rat ventricle may be mediated via P2-purinoceptors.     

Purine receptors in trachea: studies with adenosine deaminase and dipyridamole

ATP, adenosine, adenine and inosine exhibited similar potency in relaxing transverse strips of guinea-pig trachea. Dipyridamole potentiated responses to ATP and adenosine equally but antagonized responses to inosine and failed to affect responses to adenine. In dipyridamole-treated preparations, adenosine deaminase markedly reduced responses to ATP and adenosine; responses to adenine and inosine were unaffected. The results suggest that ATP acts via its adenosine metabolite and that inhibitory ATP receptors are absent.     

Effect of trimetazidine on the nucleotide profile in rat kidney with ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Ischemia-reperfusion injury is often responsible for delayed graft function after transplantation. Trimetazidine (TMZ) is an antioxidant agent used to protect grafts from ischemia-reperfusion injury. The aim of the study was to examine the effect of TMZ on nucleotide profile in rat kidney with ischemia-reperfusion injury. The study was carried out on Wistar rats divided into two groups: animals treated with TMZ and control group receiving placebo. TMZ 10mg/kg/day was administrated for 30 days. Concentrations of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), adenosine diphosphate (ADP), adenosine monophosphate (AMP), adenosine (Ado), guanosine triphosphate (GTP), guanosine diphosphate (GDP), guanosine monophosphate (GMP), guanosine (Guo), inosine monophosphate (IMP), inosine (Ino), hypoxanthine (Hyp), xanthine (Xan), uric acid (UA), uridine (Urd), nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP) were determined in kidney tissues after ischemia-reperfusion using HPLC. The total adenine nucleotide concentration (TAN) and adenylate energy charge (AEC) were also determined. Moreover the kidneys were evaluated histologically. Tissue concentrations of ATP, ADP, AMP, TAN and AEC were significantly increased in kidneys from rats treated with TMZ in comparison with rats receiving placebo. Concentrations of products of nucleotide degradation: inosine (Ino), guanosine (Guo) and uridine (Urd), as well as oxypurines: Hyp and Xan, were significantly decreased in rats treated with trimetazidine. Moreover, significantly less pronounced acute tubular necrosis was observed in kidneys of rats treated with TMZ. These results suggest that trimetazidine protects against dephosphorylation of nucleotides and ischemic damage.     

Crystal structures of human adenosine kinase inhibitor complexes reveal two distinct binding modes

Adenosine kinase (AK) is an enzyme responsible for converting endogenous adenosine (ADO) to adenosine monophosphate (AMP) in an adenosine triphosphate- (ATP-) dependent manner. The structure of AK consists of two domains, the first a large alpha/beta Rossmann-like nucleotide binding domain that forms the ATP binding site, and a smaller mixed alpha/beta domain, which, in combination with the larger domain, forms the ADO binding site and the site of phosphoryl transfer. AK inhibitors have been under investigation as antinociceptive, antiinflammatory, and anticonvulsant as well as antiinfective agents. In this work, we report the structures of AK in complex with two classes of inhibitors: the first, ADO-like, and the second, a novel alkynylpyrimidine series. The two classes of structures, which contain structurally similar substituents, reveal distinct binding modes in which the AK structure accommodates the inhibitor classes by a 30 degrees rotation of the small domain relative to the large domain. This change in binding mode stabilizes an open and a closed intermediate structural state and provide structural insight into the transition required for catalysis. This results in a significant rearrangement of both the protein active site and the orientation of the alkynylpyrimidine ligand when compared to the observed orientation of nucleosidic inhibitors or substrates.     

尿苷三磷酸通过P2Y_2尿嘌呤受体延长豚鼠乳头状肌动作电位时程(英文)

目的:研究尿苷三磷酸(UTP)对豚鼠乳头状肌的电生理作用,及UIP作用的相关受体。方法:利用细胞内微电极技术记录豚鼠乳头状肌跨膜电位。结果:UTP、ATP和ADP均可浓度依赖性延长豚鼠乳头状肌动作电位时程(APD)。激动剂的效应强度序列为UTP=ATP>ADP,且UTP和ATP的作用存在交叉脱敏现象。Adenosine(Ado)和α,β-methyleneATP(α,β-MeATP)对豚鼠乳头状肌动作电位各参数均无影响,氨茶碱持续灌流亦不影响UTP的作用。与UTP 3mmol/L等渗的ceftriaxonum(3mmol/L)或NaCl(9mmol/L)可显著但轻微地延长APD。结论:UTP延长豚鼠乳头状肌APD的作用由特异性和非特异性两种作用组成,前者与P2Y_2受体有关。     

3-Deazaadenosine 5'-triphosphate: a novel metabolite of 3-deazaadenosine in mouse leukocytes

Evidence has been obtained for the metabolic formation of small amounts (1-2% of the ATP pool) of 3-deazaadenosine 5'-triphosphate (c3ATP) from 3-deazaadenosine (c3Ado) in mouse cytolytic lymphocytes and mouse resident peritoneal macrophages. With intact leukocytes, pharmacological evidence was obtained that adenosine kinase was not the enzyme chiefly responsible for the phosphorylation of c3Ado. Moreover, in the presence of MgCl2, NaCl and IMP, purified rat liver 5'-nucleotidase catalyzed the phosphorylation of c3Ado to 3-deazaadenosine 5'-monophosphate (c3AMP). Two lines of evidence suggest that the metabolic formation of c3ATP is not involved in the inhibition of leukocyte function caused by c3Ado. First, the inhibitory action of c3Ado on antibody-dependent phagocytosis and lymphocyte-mediated cytolysis was reversed markedly upon removal of the drug from the medium. However, the intracellular content of c3ATP remained constant in lymphocytes and macrophages after removal of c3Ado. Second, in macrophages and in lymphocytes, similar intracellular amounts of c3ATP were formed from both c3Ado and 3-deazaadenine under conditions in which the former was biologically active and the latter was essentially inactive. Thus, it appears unlikely that the novel c3ATP metabolite is of relevance for the mechanism of action of c3Ado in mouse leukocytes.     

The effect of deazaadenosine analogues on the proliferation rate of cultured Vero cells

Five adenosine analogues resistant to adenosine deaminase were analyzed for their effects on the proliferation on cultured Vero cells. Cells were exposed for 48 hr to various concentrations of 1-deazaadenosine (c1Ado), 3-deazaadenosine (c3Ado), 7-deazaadenosine (c7Ado), 1,3-dideazaadenosine (c1,3Ado) or 1,7-dideazaadenosine (c1,7Ado) and then counted with a hemocytometer. Results indicate that 1) whereas c7Ado produced a marked decrease in cell growth, c3Ado was toxic only at the highest concentration tested (30 microM), 2) c1Ado and c1,7Ado did not affect cell replication and 3) c1,3Ado produced a significant stimulation of cell proliferation. Further studies have suggested that none of the compounds tested is incorporated in the DNA.     

Adenosine triphosphate-evoked vascular changes in human skin: Mechanism of action

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP), adenosine diphosphate (ADP), adenosine monophosphate (AMP), adenosine, adenine and inosine were injected intradermally into the backs of human volunteers. ATP, ADP and AMP evoked weal and flare responses in the skin in a dose dependent manner. The rank order of potency was ATP>ADP>AMP; other metabolites were apparently inactive. The potency of ATP was approximately 0.002 times that of histamine. In the forearm, cross tachyphylaxis was demonstrated between ATP and histamine weals; also the flare due to injected ATP spead beyond a band which was applied to prevent diffusion, indicating that the flare is neurogenic. Injections of ATP and high doses of ADP produced a sensation of persistent pain, unlike histamine which produced transient pain or itch on some occasions, and saline which was without effect. The possible involvement of histamine, mast cells and prostaglandins in the response was examined. The inhibitory actions of systemic pretreatment with diphenhydramine suggests that the erythema and wealing responses to ATP are at least partly due to ATP-evoked histamine release. Indomelhacin, doxantrazole and cimetidine did not alter the ATP reaction.     

Potentiation of adenosine triphosphate-induced contractile responses of the guinea-pig isolated vas deferens by adenosine monophosphate and adenosine 5''-monophosphorothioate.

The effects of incubating the guinea-pig isolated vas deferens in the presence of adenine nucleotides (adenosine triphosphate, ATP; adenosine diphosphate, ADP; and adenosine monophosphate, AMP), or in the presence of their phosphorothioate analogues (adenosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate), ATP gamma S; adenosine 5'-O-(2-thiodiphosphate), ADP beta S; and adenosine 5'-monophosphorothioate, AMP alpha S), on contractile responses to ATP were compared. After challenge with a low (1 microM) or high (300 microM) concentration of ATP to obtain control responses, one vas deferens of a pair was incubated for 5 min with one of the adenine nucleotides, while the contralateral preparation was incubated with the corresponding phosphorothioate analogue. At the conclusion of the incubation the preparations were challenged again with ATP. Incubation with AMP or AMP alpha S resulted in a transient potentiation of responses to 1 microM and 300 microM ATP. The potentiation following incubation with AMP alpha S was larger than that produced by AMP. After incubation with ADP, ADP beta S, ATP and ATP gamma S, responses to 1 microM ATP were decreased, while those to 300 microM ATP were unaffected. Thus, incubation with AMP and AMP alpha S results in potentiation, rather than inhibition, of ATP-induced responses. On the other hand, 5'-diphosphate, 5'-triphosphate, 5'-O-(2-thiodiphosphate) and 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) moieties on adenosine have no effect or cause autoinhibition. These results indicate that AMP exerts a potentiating effect on reactivity to exogenous ATP. AMP arising from the enzymatic degradation of ATP might modulate the level of response to ATP released endogenously as a cotransmitter.     

Differences between rat primary cortical neurons and astrocytes in purine release evoked by ischemic conditions

In the brain, the levels of adenosine increase up to 100-fold during cerebral ischernia; however, the roles of specific cell types, enzymatic pathways and membrane transport processes in regulating intra- and extracellular concentrations of adenosine are poorly characterized. Rat primary cortical neurons and astrocytes were incubated with [(3)H]adenine for 30 min to radiolabel intracellular ATP. Cells were then treated with buffer, glucose deprivation (GD), oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD), 100 micro M sodium cyanide (NaCN) or 500 micro M iodoacetate (IAA) for 1 h to stimulate the metabolism of ATP and cellular release of [(3)H]purines. The nucleoside transport inhibitor dipyridamole (DPR) (10 micro M), the adenosine kinase inhibitor iodotubercidin (ITU) (1 micro M), the adenosine deaminase inhibitor EHNA (1 micro M) and the purine nucleoside phosphorylase inhibitor BCX-34 (10 micro M) were tested to investigate the contribution of specific enzymes and transporters in the metabolism and release of purines from each cell type. Our results indicate that (a). under basal conditions astrocytes released significantly more [(3)H]adenine nucleotides and [(3)H]adenosine than neurons, (b). OGD, NaCN and IAA conditions produced significant increases in [(3)H]adenosine release from neurons but not astrocytes, and (c) DPR blocked [(3)H]inosine release from both astrocytes and neurons but only blocked [(3)H]adenosine release from neurons. These data suggest that, in these experimental conditions, adenosine was formed by an intracellular pathway in neurons and then released via a nucleoside transporter. In contrast, adenine nucleotide release and extracellular metabolism to adenosine appeared to predominate in astrocytes.     

Apoptosis induced by N6-substituted derivatives of adenosine is related to intracellular accumulation of corresponding mononucleotides in HL-60 cells.

The in vitro induction of apoptosis by N6-substituted derivatives of adenosine and adenine was investigated in HL-60 cells. Using reversed phase HPLC/MS analysis we demonstrated that both N6-substituted derivatives of adenosine and adenine are phosphorylated within cells to the monophosphate level. While N6-substituted derivatives of adenosine were phosphorylated by adenosine kinase and corresponding mononucleotides were produced in large quantities, N6-substituted derivatives of adenine were converted into the corresponding mononucleotides via the phosphoribosyl transferase pathway, which yielded 50-100 times lower amounts of the mononucleotides than the adenosine kinase pathway. Accordingly, N6-substituted derivatives of adenine were relatively inefficient inductors of apoptosis at the concentrations applied. Inhibitors of adenosine kinase that abrogated the formation of monophosphates from N6-substituted derivatives of adenosine completely prevented cells from going into apoptosis. These results consistently support the idea that pro-apoptotic effects of N6-substituted derivatives of adenosine are related to their intracellular conversion into corresponding mononucleotides which eventually trigger apoptosis when accumulated beyond certain level. Intracellular accumulation of mononucleotides derived from the corresponding N6-substituted derivatives of adenosine led to a rapid decrease in ATP production and consequently to apoptosis induction. Nevertheless, the detailed mechanism is unknown and must be further elucidated. Apoptosis, induced by N6-substituted derivatives of adenosine, was accompanied by a distinct caspase-3 activation. However, a broad spectrum caspase inhibitor, z-VAD-fmk, failed to prevent cells from death, thereby indicating that caspases alone were not mediators of cell death.