Regulation of purine nucleotide synthesis. Effects of inosine on normal and hypoxantine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase-deficient fibroblasts

Quantification of DNA synthesis from different pathways in cultured human fibroblasts and myocytes

We have quantified DNA synthetic rates from different pathways in cultured cells using a new stable isotope technique. Human fibroblasts and myocytes were grown in culture media supplemented with [U-(13)C(6)]glucose and [(15)N]glycine. The cells were sampled daily from day 1 to day 5. A portion of the cells harvested at day 5 was subcultured for an additional 3 passages to reach isotopic plateau. In both cell types total DNA fractional synthetic rate (FSR) was found to agree closely with the rate of cell proliferation determined by cell counting (FSR = 0.94%. h(-1) v 0.92%. h(-1) for DNA synthesis and cell count, respectively, in myocytes and 0.85%. h(-1) v 0.91%. h(-1) for DNA synthesis and cell count, respectively, in fibroblasts). In fibroblasts the deoxyribonucleoside salvage pathway accounted for over 70% of total DNA synthesis. In myocytes the deoxyribonucleoside salvage pathway was minimal, whereas the de novo base synthesis pathway accounted for almost 80% of total DNA synthesis. We conclude that the contributions of various pathways to DNA synthesis are highly dependent on cell type. This new stable isotope technique can be modified for application in in vivo studies.

Phosphoribosylpyrophosphate synthetase and the regulation of phosphoribosylpyrophosphate production in human cells

between purine nucleoside diphosphate inhibition and inorganic phosphate (Pi) activation; and intracellular concentration of the PRS1 isoform. The operation of additional determinants of rates of PRPP synthesis in human cells is suggested by: (1) multiple PRS isoforms with distinctive physical and kinetic properties; (2) nearly immediate activation of intracellular PRPP synthesis in response to mitogens, growth-promoters, and increased intracellular Mg2+ concentrations; (3) tissue-specific differences in PRS1 and PRS2 transcript and isoform expression; and (4) reversible association of PRS subunits with one another and/or with PRS-associated proteins (PAPs), as a result of which the catalytic and perhaps regulatory properties of PRS isoforms are modified.

Functional studies in fibroblasts of adenylosuccinase-deficient children

In fibroblasts of severely retarded (type I) adenylosuccinase (ASase)-deficient children, activities with the two substrates of the enzyme, succinylaminoimidazole carboxamide ribotide (succinyl-AICAR) and adenylosuccinate are decreased in parallel, to about 30% of normal. In a markedly less retarded (type II) patient, ASase activity with adenylosuccinate reaches only 3% of normal, whereas activity with succinyl-AICAR is also about 30% of normal. To assess the functional significance of a partial versus a profound deficiency of ASase, precursor incorporation studies were performed in intact fibroblasts. In cells from controls and from type I patients, incorporation of 0.2 mmol/L [14C]formate into adenine and guanine nucleotides was not accompanied by accumulation of either [14C]succinyl-AICAR or [14C]adenylosuccinate. Similarly, incorporation of 20 mumol/L [14C]hypoxanthine was not accompanied by accumulation of [14C]adenylosuccinate. In contrast, in fibroblasts of the type II patient, in accordance with the profound deficiency of ASase with adenylosuccinate, and with the inhibitory effect of Cl- and nucleotides on the activity with succinyl-AICAR, incorporation of [14C]formate resulted in accumulation of [14C]succinyl-AICAR and [14C]adenylosuccinate, and incorporation of [14C]hypoxanthine in a marked build-up of [14C]adenylosuccinate. That both precursors were still incorporated into the adenine nucleotides of the fibroblasts of the type II patient indicates that adenylate synthesis remains possible even with 3% residual ASase activity, as also shown by their grossly normal ATP concentrations. The results suggest that the pathophysiology of ASase deficiency may be mediated at least in part by accumulation of succinyladenosine and succinyl-AICAriboside.

Stimulation of ribose-5-phosphate and 5-phosphoribosyl-1-pyrophosphate generation by pyrroline-5-carboxylate in mouse liver in vivo: evidence for a regulatory role of ribose-5-phosphate availability in nucleotide synthesis

Pyrroline-5-carboxylase (P5C), a physiological stimulator of hexose-monophosphate-pentose pathway activity, was found before to increase 5-phosphoribosyl-1-pyrophosphate (PRPP) generation and nucleotide synthesis in human erythrocytes and cultured fibroblasts. We now report the stimulation of PRPP generation by P5C also in mouse liver in vivo. In addition we demonstrated a simultaneous elevation in ribose-5-phosphate (R5P) concentration, which was relatively smaller and transient. The demonstrated effect of P5C on liver R5P and PRPP content in vivo provides strong evidence for the physiological role of R5P availability in the regulation of PRPP and purine production.

Purine synthesis de novo in cultured lymphoblast cells derived from patients with gout

Rates of de novo purine synthesis in lymphoblast cell cultures derived from ten patients with gout were compared with those from control individuals. Since the growth rate of the culture, an assay procedure was developed to account for the variation in lymphoblast growth rates and to permit valid quantitative comparison between purine synthesis in each cell line. Clear differences were demonstrated between the rates of purine synthesis in cells from normal control subjects and those from patients with a deficiency of hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase activity (HPRT-deficient). Lymphoblasts from the gouty patients showed purine synthesis either within the normal range or intermediate between this and the HPRT-deficient cells. In patients having normal renal function, de novo purine synthesis of lymphoblast cells correlated with the degree of urate production as reflected by the urinary excretion of urate over a 24 h period. Three patients, with demonstrable excessive production of urate in vivo, exhibited increased purine synthesis in lymphoblasts. This increased synthesis did not appear to result from any of the enzyme mutations currently recognized as responsible for abnormal purine metabolism.

Elucidation of aberrant purine metabolism: application to hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosylstransferase- and adenosine kinase-deficient mutants, and IMP dehydrogenase- and adenosine deaminase-inhibited human lymphoblasts

We propose that the ratio of [14C]formate-labelled purine nucleosides and bases (both intra and extracellular) to nucleic acid purines provides, in exponentially growing cultures, a sensitive index for comparative studies of purine metabolism. This ratio was 4-fold greater for an HGPRT- mutant than for the parental HGPRT+ human lymphoblast line. The major components of the labelled nucleoside and base fraction were hypoxanthine and inosine. By blocking adenosine deaminase activity with coformycin we found that approx. 90% of inosine was formed directly from IMP rather than the route IMP leads to AMP leads to adenosine leads to inosine. The ratio of labelled base + nucleosides to nucleic acids was essentially unchagned for an AK- lymphoblast line and 2-fold greater than control for an HGPRT(-)-KAK- line, demonstrating that a deficiency of adenosine kinase alone has little effect on the accumulation of purine nucleosides and bases. Although adenosine was a minor component of the nucleoside and base fraction, the adenosine fraction increased from 3 to 13% with the addition of coformycin to the HGPRT(-)-AK- line. In the parental and HGPRT- lines, adenosine was shown to be primarily phosphorylated rather than deaminated at concentrations less than 5 microM. Inhibition of IMP dehydrogenase activity by mycophenolic acid caused a 12- and 3-fold increase in the rate of production of labelled base and nucleoside in the parent and HGPRT- cells respectively. These results suggest that a mutationally induced partial deficiency in the activities converting IMP to guanine nucleotides may result in an increased catabolism of IMP.

Purine metabolism in microplasmodia of Physarum polycephalum

The uptake and utilization of purine nucleosides and purines in microplasmodia of Physarum polycephalum were investigated. The results revealed a unique pattern, namely that exogenous purine nucleosides are readily taken up and metabolised, while free purine bases are hardly taken up. The pathways of incorporation have been elucidated in studies with whole cells and with cell-free extracts. The ribonucleosides (adenosine, inosine and guanosine) can be converted into ribonucleotides in two ways; either directly catalysed by a kinase or by a phosphorolytic cleavage to the free base (adenine, hypoxanthine and guanine respectively) which can then be activated by a purine phosphoribosyltransferase. Apparently the purine phosphoribosyltransferases do not react with exogenous purine bases. The deoxyribonucleosides (deoxyadenosine, deoxyinosine and deoxyguanosine) are also phosphorolysed by purine nucleoside phosphorylase to adenine, hypoxanthine and guanine respectively. A portion of deoxyadenosine is directly phosphorylated to dAMP. It appears that only a minor part of the soluble nucleotide pool can be synthesised from exogenous supplied nucleosides and that none of the deoxyribonucleosides specifically label DNA. There is no catabolism of the purine moiety. In agreement with the above findings, we have found that analoguees of purine nucleosides are more toxic than their corresponding purine base analogues.

Regulation of purine de novo synthesis in cultured human fibroblasts: the role of P-ribose-PP

Procedures for assaying the rate of purine de novo synthesis in cultured fibroblast cells have been compared. These were (i) the incorporation of [(14)C]-glycine or [(14)C]formate in alpha-N-formylglycinamide ribonucleotide (an intermediate in the purine synthetic pathway) and (ii) the incorporation of [(14)C]-formate into newly synthesised cellular purines and purines excreted by the cell into the medium. Fibroblast cells, derived from patients with a deficiency of hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT-) (EC 2.4.2.8) and increased rates of purine de novo synthesis, were compared with fibroblasts from healthy subjects (HPRT+). Fetal calf serum, which was used to supplement the assay and cell growth medium, was found to contain sufficient quantities of the purine base hypoxanthine to inhibit purine de novo synthesis in HPRT+ cells. This inhibition was the basis of differentiation between HPRT- and HPRT+ cells. In the absence of added purine base, both cell types had similar capacities for purine de novo synthesis. This result contrasts with the increased rates of purine de novo synthesis reported for a number of human HPRT- cells in culture but conforms recent studies made on human HPRT- lymphoblast cells. The intracellular concentration and utilisation of 5-phosphoribosyl-1-pyrophosphate (P-Rib-PP), a substrate and potential controlling factor for purine de novo synthesis, were determined in HPRT- and HPRT+ cells. The rate of utilisation of P-Rib-PP in the salvage of free purine bases was far greater than that in purine de novo synthesis. Although HPRT- cells had a 3-fold increase in P-Rib-PP content, the rate of P-Rib-PP generation was similar to HPRT+ cells. Thus, in fibroblasts, the concentration of P-Rib-PP appears to be critical in the control of de novo purine synthesis and its preferential utilisation in the HPRT reaction limits its availability for purine de novo synthesis. In vivo, HPRT+ cells, in contrast to HPRT- cells, may be operating purine de novo synthesis at a reduced rate because of their ability to reutilise hypoxanthine.