A kinetic approach to the determination of the S phase pool size of thymidine triphosphate in exponentially growing mouse L cells

Extremely high production of thymidine by TNF-susceptible L929 cells

We confirmed with the use of crystal violet bioassay the high susceptibility of mouse L929 cells to the cytotoxic action of recombinant tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF). However, when a [3H]thymidine release assay was used for the same purpose, we found that [3H]thymidine uptake by the L929 cells, in contrast to low-malignant TNF-resistant spontaneously transformed Syrian hamster embryo cells of the STHE strain, was significantly reduced (P < 0.001). To investigate the mechanism of the low incorporation of [3H]thymidine in L929 cells the culture media from intact L929 cells was used for competition experiments with [3H]thymidine incorporation in the STHE target cells. The undiluted supernatant from L929 cells significantly (up to 83-97%) reduced [3H]thymidine uptake by the STHE cells. Fifty percent inhibition of [3H]thymidine uptake was achieved at L929 supernatant dilutions up to 1:8 (in 4 h incubation), up to 1:16 (in 20-42 h incubation) and even up to 1:32 (in 42 h incubation). The same high level of inhibition of [3H]thymidine uptake by STHE cells was seen with a commercial specimen of a thymidine (Sigma) at a concentration near 500 ng/ml. Thus, we conclude that a resistance of L929 cells to [3H]thymidine uptake is related to their unusually high production of cold thymidine.

Compartmentation of intracellular nucleotides in mammalian cells

The important role of nucleotides in cellular metabolism requires that serious consideration be given to the question of the homogeneity or inhomogeneity of nucleotide pools in cells. The purpose of this review is to summarize the existing evidence for compartmentation of nucleotide pools, discuss the limitations of this evidence, and to discuss the implications of compartmentation for the interpretation of nucleotide concentration measurements. Evidence for nucleotide compartmentation comes from the following types of evidence: compartmentation of RNA precursors; compartmentation of deoxynucleoside triphosphates; mitochondrial compartmentation; the existence of tightly bound nucleotides; pools derived from alternative synthetic routes; compartmentation in cyclic nucleotide metabolism; channeling in the synthesis of pyrimidine nucleotides; and others. The types of evidence adduced for compartmentation will be considered critically and in detail, and alternative explanations considered, as well. Implications of the data and hypotheses on nucleotide compartmentation for the interpretation of nucleotide pool measurements in various types of experiments will be discussed.

Isotope-dilution analysis of rate-limiting steps and pools affecting the incorporation of thymidine and deoxycytidine into cultured thymus cells

1. Rat thymus cells were incubated in homologous serum (10%) and medium 199. The effects of various quantities of thymidine or deoxycytidine (0-30mum) on the radioactive labelling of cells with the corresponding radioactive deoxynucleoside were examined. From plots of the reciprocal of the radioactivity incorporated against the total deoxynucleoside concentration (;isotope-dilution plots'), values were obtained for (a) the V(max.) of the rate-limiting step governing incorporation of the deoxynucleoside, and (b) the concentration of the pool of compounds competing with the radioactive deoxynucleoside at that rate-limiting step. From changes in these values under different experimental conditions inferences were drawn on the position and control of the rate-limiting step within intact cells. 2. Isotope-dilution plots for deoxycytidine were linear, whereas plots for thymidine were bimodal, indicating an abrupt increase in both the V(max.) and pool concentration at a critical thymidine concentration (approx. 5mum). The bimodality was removed by amethopterin. The V(max.) determined with deoxy[U-(14)C]cytidine was approximately equal to the sum of the V(max.) determined with deoxy[5-(3)H]cytidine and the V(max.) determined with [Me-(3)H]thymidine at thymidine concentrations above 5mum. 3. The thymidine competitor pool at thymidine concentrations above 5mum was approximately equal to the sum of the deoxycytidine competitor pool and the thymidine competitor pool at thymidine concentrations below 5mum. The pools were independent of cell concentration and dependent on serum concentration. 4. These results were explained on the following basis. Deoxycytidine in serum (16mum) is the major source of both cytosine and, by way of thymidylate synthetase, thymine, in the DNA of thymus cells. Serum deoxycytidine normally maintains a sufficient intracellular concentration of dTTP to inhibit partially the activity of thymidine kinase. When the dTTP concentration is lowered, either by decreasing the concentration of deoxycytidine or by inhibiting thymidylate synthetase, the activity of thymidine kinase increases. The activity of thymidine kinase may also be increased by concentrations of thymidine greater than 5mum, which overcome the inhibition of the enzyme by dTTP. At concentrations of thymidine below 5mum, thymidine kinase limits the rate of labelling with [Me-(3)H]thymidine and the radioactivity is diluted by a pool of unlabelled thymidine in serum (4mum). At thymidine concentrations greater than 5mum, the activity of DNA polymerase limits the rate of labelling and the radioactivity is diluted both by serum thymidine and, indirectly, by serum deoxycytidine.