Hypoxanthine levels of plasma during hypoxemia in dogs

Tissue hypoxia was induced in one group of dogs by clamping of the endotracheal tube and in another group by artificial ventilation with a mixture of nitrogen and air. The hypoxanthine concentration of venous and arterial plasma increased significantly during severe hypoxemia. When the hypoxemia was relieved, an increased venous-arterial hypoxanthine difference appeared indicating that the lung metabolism of hypoxanthine was slowed down during alveolar hypoxia. It is concluded that the level of plasma hypoxanthine in dogs during hypoxemia is dependent on the degree of tissue hypoxia, peripheral vasoregulation, and lung metabolism.

Adenine nucleotide metabolism of blood platelets. IX. Time course of secretion and changes in energy metabolism in thrombin-treated platelets

Changes in the energy metabolism of washed human platelets were compared with the kinetics of secretion induced by thrombin (5 units/ml). A 50% decrease in the level of metabolic ATP (3H-labelled), which was essentially complete in 30s, was matched in rate by adenine nucleotide secretion from storage in dense granules. Incubation of platelets with antimycin before thrombin addition increased the rate of fall in metabolic ATP, but did not affect the rate of adenine nucleotide secretion. beta-N-Acetylglucosaminidase secretion, which was slower than adenine nucleotide secretion in control platelets, was noticeably inhibited by antimycin, confirming previous reports that different regulatory mechanisms exist for dense and alpha-granule secretion. The rates of rephosphorylation of metabolic ADP to ATP via glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation were estimated by measuring lactate production and O2 consumption in resting and thrombin-stimulated platelets and compared to the level of metabolic ATP (9-10 nmol/mg of platelet protein in the resting state). The rate of ATP production was stimulated at least two fold from 12 nmol to 24 nmol/min/mg within seconds of thrombin addition. This increased rate was maintained over the observed period of 5 min although the level of metabolic ATP had decreased to 4-5 nmol/mg within 30 s; the turnover of the remaining metabolic ATP thus increased four fold over the resting state although the actual stimulation of energy production was only two fold.

A modified ultraviolet spectrophotometric method for the determination of theophylline in serum in the presence of barbiturates

Ultraviolet spectrophotometry is the most commonly used technique for the determination of theophylline levels for therapeutic monitoring. Common interferences in most methods are barbiturates and xanthines. A modified method which eliminates interferences from barbiturates and most xanthines is presented. Theophylline is extracted from serum with chloroform/isopropanol at pH 7.4 back extracted into dilute hydrochloric acid and then the solution is made alkaline with sodium hydroxide. Barbiturate interferences are eliminated. Interference from caffeine, uric acid, 7-(2,3-dihydroxypropyl)theophylline, xanthine, and hypoxanthine are not observed. Theobromine, and the metabolite 3-methylxanthine interfere. Interference is not observed from quinidine, diazepam, salicylate, glutethimide, methylprylon, propranolol, methaqualone, dilatin and ethchlorvynol. Sulfanilamide, procainamide and chlordiazepoxide interfere.

Adenosine and active hyperemia in dog skeletal muscle

Adenosine as a possible mediator of active hyperemia in skeletal muscle was studied in hindlimbs of dogs. Sciatic nerve stimulation decreased vascular resistance to 55 +/- 5% (mean +/- SE) of the control value in hindlimbs perfused at a constant flow rate (61 +/- 6 ml/min). Venous plasma K+ concentrations were elevated after 2 min (from 4.0 +/- 0.2 to 4.8 +/- 0.2 meq/liter; P is less than 0.005) and 20 min (4.7 +/- 0.2 meq/liter; P is less than 0.001) of contraction, but the arteriovenous difference in plasma osmolality was changed only after 2 min of contraction (from -3.0 +/- 0.6 to -7.2 +/- 0.8 mosmol/kg H2O; P is less than 0.001). The muscle adenosine contents were not significantly elevated after 5 min of contraction, but were increased after 10 min (from 1.97 +/- 0.33 to 8.35 +/- 0.97 nmol/g; P is less than 0.05) and 25 min (from 1.64 +/- 0.22 to 7.57 +/- 2.20 nmol/g; P is less than 0.05) of contraction. Thirty minutes after contraction had ceased, the adenosine contents were significantly below control values (from 2.22 +/- 0.59 to 1.51 +/- 0.40 nmol/g; P is less than 0.005). Venous plasma adenosine concentrations did not increase during muscle contraction. No relationship was found between the increase in the plasma inorganic phosphate level and the activity of the muscles. These data indicate that the adenosine content of skeletal muscle is increased by contraction, and support the concept that adenosine may be a mediator of sustained active hyperemia.

Location of phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine in the human platelet plasma membrane

The location of phospholipids in the human platelet plasma membrane was probed with 2, 4, 6-trinitrobenzenesulfonate (TNBS). TNBS does not penetrate inintact cells and can label phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylserine (PS). In tact platelets, PE is not accessible to TNBS during the initial 15 min. However, 6.9% PE reacts with TNBS after 30 min and 17.9% PE is labeled after 90 min. In intact platelets, PS is not labeled even after 2 h. In contrast, in phospholipids extracted from platelets 71% PE and 26.5% PS react with TNBS within 5 min. This indicates that PS is inaccessible and PE is relatively inaccessible to TNBS in intact platelets. After incubation of platelets with thrombin, there is increased labeling of PE but no labeling of PS. The incubation of platelets with thrombin (0.05 U/ml) for 5 min results in 16.2% increase of PE labeling during subsequent 30-min incubation with TNBS. PS does not appear to be a component of the functional surface of platelets. However, exposure of PE may have a critical role in platelet hemostatic function. The implication of the study is that there is asymmetry of phopholipids in the platelet plasma membrane which has considerable physiological significance.

Uptake and supply of purine compounds by the liver

We have analyzed for purine compounds entering and leaving the liver in lightly anesthetized rabbits and rats and for the export of utilizable purine from liver perfused with oxypurine. The in vivo results indicate that roughly 80% of hypoxanthine, xanthine, and urate is removed in a single passage of blood through liver. Conversely, the adenosine concentration of hepatic venous blood is increased 10-fold over portal or arterial levels. When the liver is isolated and perfused with hypoxanthine there is significant release of adenosine, whether measured quantitatively by microbiological assay or qualitatively by analysis of the radioactive purines released from liver that has been prelabeled with [14C]hypoxanthine. These results provide direct evidence for the clearance of hydroxylated purines and the release of utilizable adenine derivatives by liver.

Hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase and hypoxanthine uptake in human erythrocytes

A system of hypoxanthine uptake and IMP retention was studied and characterized in human erythrocytes. It follows closely the system already described for rabbit erythrocytes[7]. IMP formation and retention are dependent on the activity of hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl-transferase and on intracellular availability of phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate (P-Rib-PP), which is one of the substrates. In the extrecellular medium, neither P-Rib-PP nor GMP -- a potent inhibitor of the enzyme in vitro -- has any influence on IMP retention. The amount of residual hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase in erythrocyte ghost preparations is directly related to the residual hemoglobin content. Thus the enzyme is characterized as typically soluble and "loosely bound" to membranes. There is a slight difference in the kinetic properties of the ghost-bound and the free soluble enzyme. The possible importance of these results for purine uptake and utilization in human red cells is discussed.

The determination of hypoxanthine and xanthine with a PO2 electrode

A simple and rapid method for determination of the hypoxanthine and xanthine concentration in plasma and urine is described. The method is based on the principle that oxygen is consumed quantitatively when hypoxanthine and xanthine are oxidized to urate by xanthine oxidase. By using Henry's law a direct measure of the hypoxanthine and xanthine concentration is obtained. The method determines these oxypurines in volumes of 200 mul in concentrations less than 5 mumol/liter in about 5 min. The average precision in the range of 0-50 mumol/liter is 2.6 mumol/liter. Of the added hypoxanthine, 99-102% is recovered in plasma. Even though xanthine oxidase is a rather nonspecific enzyme, experiments show that this method is highly specific during physiologic conditions.

Hypoxanthine as a measurement of hypoxia

The hypoxanthine concentration in plasma was found to be a sensitive parameter of hypoxia of the fetus and the newborn infant. The plasma level of hypoxanthine in the umbilical cord in 29 newborn infants with normal delivery varied between 0 and 11.0 mumol/liter with a mean of 5.8 mumol/liter, SD 3.0 mumol/liter. Compared with this reference group the hypoxanthine concentration in plasma of the umbilical cord in 10 newborn infants with clinical signs of intrauterine hypoxia during labor was found to be significantly higher, with a range of 11.0-61.5 mumol/liter, with a mean of 25.0 mumol/liter, SD 18.0 mumol/liter. The plasma level of hypoxanthine in two premature babies developing an idiopathic respiratory distress syndrome was monitored. The metabolite was found to be considerably increased, in one of them more than 24 hr after a period of hypoxia necessitating artificial ventilation. The hypoxanthine level in plasma of umbilical arterial blood was followed about 2 hr postpartum in three newborn infants with clinical signs of intrauterine hypoxia. The decrease of the plasma concentration of the metabolite seemed to be with a constant velocity, as it was about 10 mumol/liter/hr in these cases. A new method was used for the determination of hypoxanthine in plasma, based on the principle that PO2 decreased when hypoxanthine is oxidized to uric acid.

Release of adenosine and lack of release of ATP from contracting skeletal muscle

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) has been suggested as a mediator of active hyperemia and its levels have been reported to increase in the venous plasma from contracting skeletal muscle. However, the source of the ATP is unknown. The present study indicates that a large portion of the plasma ATP is released from the formed elements of blood when the blood is collected in the presence of EDTA. When EDTA was added to blood that was previously incubated at 37 degrees C for 5 min to destroy all free ATP, the ATP level was 0.57 plus or minus 0.12 (plus or minus S.E.) nmoles/ml. However, it was possible to detect exogenously added ATP only when blood samples were collected into EDTA; collection into saline or citrate afforded no protection against ATP degradation by the ATPases of the blood. In dog hindlimb preparations perfused at constant flow or constant pressure, the venous plasma ATP of blood collected in the presence of EDTA exhibited no consistent increase during or following tetanic contraction of the muscles. In isolated, perfused rat hindlimbs, no ATP was detectable in the venous effluents from resting or contracting muscles (ATP smaller than 0.08 nmoles/ml). However, the levels of adenosine in the venous effluents were greater in contracting than in resting hindlimbs. The data indicate that it is not possible to make valid determinations of plasma ATP levels and thus, one cannot determine the role of ATP in active hyperemia based on these data. However, the currently available data from isolated muscle preparations do not support the concept that ATP is released from contracting skeletal muscle, and therefore, it is unlikely that ATP is a mediator of the metabolically-linked local regulation of skeletal muscle blood flow. The enhanced release of adenosine from contracting rat hindlimb muscles may indicate a role for this nucleoside in the regulation of blood flow in skeletal muscle.

Incorporation of hypoxanthine into adenine and guanine nucleotides by human platelets

1. Incubation (1-4 h) of normal human washed platelets (5-11-10-8 per ml) with [8-14C] hypoxanthine at a concentration of 10-5 M resulted in a linear incorporation of radioactivity into adenine and guanine nucleotides. 2. Washed platelets from patients with Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, deficient in hypoxanthine: guanine phosphoribosyltransferase, failed to demonstrate any significant incorporation of [8-14C] hypoxanthine but did incorporate [8-14C] adenine like normal platelets under the same incubation condition. 3. These findings are taken to indicate that normal platelets have the enzymes necessary for salvage of hypoxanthine and that hypoxanthine: guanine phosphoribosyltransferase is the obligatory first step in this pathway.

Treatment of variola major with adenine arabinoside

A double-blind study of the efficacy of adenine arabinoside in the treatment of patients with variola major was conducted. Adenine arabinoside (20 mg/kg of body weight) was given to patients intravenously every 24 hr for seven days in a 8-hr infusion. Five of the nine patients receiving adinine arabinoside died, and four of 11 patients receiving placebo died. Mortality was related to the severity of illness for both groups of patients. No difference was found between the drug and control groups in number of febrile days after initiation of therapy or in the period during which it was possible to isolate virus from skin lisions, throat swabs, and sources of clotted blood. Formation of scabs on skin lesions was complete 8.3 days after the initiation of therapy for the drug group and after 11.3 days for the control group. The findings suggest that adenine arabinoside is not effective in the chemotherapy of smallpox.

Changes in coronary venous inosine concentration and myocardial wall thickening during regional ischemia in the pig

Correlations between local mechanical and metabolic events were studied during a partial decrease in flow in the left anterior descending coronary artery in 14 open-chest pigs. A decrease in flow to 28% (19-39%) of the control value was achieved with an adjustable screw clamp. A flow probe was placed around the artery. Blood samples were taken from the regional anterior coronary vein and the femoral artery. Myocardial wall thickening was measured with a harpoon type of mercury strain gauge. During ischemia, systolic myocardial wall thickening decreased to 44.5 ± 5.1% ( SE ) of its control value ( P < 0.001). The mean concentrations of plasma potassium and whole blood inosine, hypoxanthine, and lactate in three serial 2-minute samples obtained during a 6-minute control period were compared with those obtained during a 6-minute period of partial occlusion. During ischemia, venous inosine concentration increased from 10.9 ± 0.7 µ M to 18.5 ± 1.8 µM ( P < 0.005), venous hypoxanthine concentration increased from 28.5 ± 1.4 µ M to 33.0 ± 1.5 µ M ( P < 0.005), venous potassium concentration increased from 3.77 ± 0.10 m M to 4.08 ± 0.13 m M ( P < 0.001), and venous lactate concentration increased from 1.04 ± 0.19 m M to 1.52 ± 0.17 m M ( P < 0.001). The arterial level of potassium increased very little. The arterial concentration of the other compounds did not change significantly during the 6-minute period of ischemia. Myocardial lactate extraction changed from a control value of 42.6 ± 6.7% to -4.6 = 12.5% ( P < 0.05). A negative correlation ( r s = -0.79, P < 0.01) was observed between venous inosine concentration and myocardial wall thickening (percent of control) during ischemia. This study indicates that the local venous inosine concentration is a sensitive indicator of regional myocardial ischemia in the pig.

Release of adenosine from human hearts during angina induced by rapid atrial pacing

This study was designed to determine whether human hearts release adenosine, a possible regulator of coronary flow, during temporary myocardial ischemia and, if so, to examine the mechanisms involved. Release of adenosine from canine hearts had been reported during reactive hyperemia following brief coronary occlusion, and we initially confirmed this observation in six dogs hearts. Angina was then produced in 15 patients with anginal syndrome and severe coronary atherosclerosis by rapid atrial pacing during diagnostic studies. In 13 of these patients, adenosine appeared in coronary sinus blood, at a mean level of 40 nmol/100 ml blood (SE = +/-9). In 11 of these 13, adenosine was not detectable in control or recovery samples; when measured, there was concomitant production of lactate and minimal leakage of K(+), but no significant release of creatine phosphokinase, lactic acid dehydrogenase, creatine, or Na(+). THERE WAS NO DETECTABLE RELEASE OF ADENOSINE BY HEARTS DURING PACING OR EXERCISE IN THREE CONTROL GROUPS OF PATIENTS: nine with anginal syndrome and severe coronary atherosclerosis who did not develop angina or produce lactate during rapid pacing, five with normal coronaries and no myocardial disease, and three with normal coronaries but with left ventricular failure. The results indicate that human hearts release significant amounts of adenosine during severe regional myocardial ischemia and anaerobic metabolism. Adenosine release might provide a useful supplementary index of the early effects of ischemia on myocardial metabolism, and might influence regional coronary flow during or after angina pectoris.