Incorporation of deoxynucleotides into DNA by diethylaminoethyldextran-treated lymphocytes

Effects of deoxyadenosine on ribonucleotide reductase in adenosine deaminase-deficient lymphocytes

To explore the relationship between ribonucleotide reductase and immunodysfunction in adenosine deaminase deficiency, the effects of deoxyadenosine on ribonucleotide reductase in ADA-deficient lymphocytes was investigated. An assay system for ribonucleotide reductase in intact permeabilized lymphocytes was developed to approximate physiological conditions. The activity of cytidine diphosphate (CDP) reductase in resting but not in proliferating lymphocytes in culture was inhibited by 1 to 10 mumol/L deoxyadenosine. The resting cells were protected from the toxicity of 1 mumol/L deoxyadenosine by 5 mmol/L nicotinamide or 30 mumol/L deoxycytidine and from that of 10 mumol/L deoxyadenosine by 30 mumol/L deoxycytidine. These findings suggest that depletion of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide might be the principal cause of death in resting lymphocytes with ADA deficiency. It is concluded that the mechanism of deoxyadenosine toxicity on non-replicating lymphocytes, which may not be mediated by ribonucleotide reductase inhibition, is closely related to the mechanism of immunodysfunction in patients with ADA deficiency.

In Vitro and in Vivo Studies of Poly-L-Lysine as Inducer of Friend Leukemic Cells Differentiation

Poly-L-lysine, a synthetic cationic polypeptide known for its ability to bind to cell membranes, was found to induce differentiation of Friend leukemia cells « in vitro ». Studies were extended to the same « in vivo » model, in order to examine the therapeutic potential of this new differentiating agent. The i.p. administration of the polymer (Mw 2700) at the maximal tolerated dose resulted in major alterations of disease-related parameters. In particular, a multiple treatment schedule on the advanced disease resulted in a successful reduction of target organ weight and peripheral white blood cell count and appreciable differentiation of spleen and bone marrow cells. Apparently, the effects of poly-L-lysine were superior to those produced by N-methyl-acetamide, a potent inducer of differentiation « in vitro ».

Introduction and metabolism of pentose and hexose phosphates in permeabilized Morris hepatoma 5123TC cells

Metabolism of arabinose 5-P, ribose 5-P and glucose 6-P in permeabilized and resealed Morris hepatoma 5123TC cells was investigated by measuring the contribution of these compounds to nucleic acid biosynthesis. The level of [14C]-arabinose (non-phosphorylated) incorporation into nucleic acids was slight, presumably due to the low activity of the transport system or the absence or low activity of a specific 'kinase' enzyme. The permeabilizing procedure involved the brief treatment of Morris hepatoma 5123TC cells with lysolecithin and resulted in a cell population which was permeable to charged compounds i.e. sugar phosphates and nucleotides, that otherwise could not cross the plasma membrane. The permeabilized (and resealed cells) retained normal cellular morphology and intactness of specific organelles as judged by the maintenance of functional properties. Following permeabilization, these cells resealed when transferred back to normal growth medium, and continued to divide and increase at the same rates as control non-permeabilized cell cultures. The permeabilized cells incorporated deoxyribonucleotides ([methyl -3H]-TTP) into DNA at a linear rate of 0.047 nmol per 10(7) cells min-1, representing 90-100 per cent of the DNA synthesis rate in vivo. The permeabilization technique, when coupled with procedures to establish cell synchrony, permitted the comparative estimate of the contributions of [14C]-labelled arabinose 5-P, ribose 5-P and glucose 6-P to RNA, DNA, amino acids, CO2, lactate and sugar mono- and bisphosphates. The percentage of [14C]-isotope incorporated into total nucleic acids by these three labelled sugar phosphates were 2.3, 4.9 and 6.3 respectively. Possible reasons for the lower incorporation of 14C from arabinose 5-P are given. The results are consistent with the proposal that arabinose 5-P, an intermediate of the L-type pentose pathway activity of 5123TC cells, was incorporated into nucleic acids by its interconversion with ribulose 5-P and ribose 5-P and thus into PRPP. This study represents the first report of sugar phosphate as opposed to free sugar metabolism by tumour cells in culture.

Nascent DNA chains synthesized in reversibly permeable cells of mouse thymocytes

Freshly prepared thymocytes continue to synthesize DNA under hypotonic conditions in the presence of 4.5% dextran T-150, the four deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates and ATP. Permeable cells could seal the membrane in a serum-enriched medium within a few hours. 2'-Deoxycytidine 5'-triphosphate is effectively substituted by 5-mercuri-2'-deoxycytidine 5'-triphosphate as a substrate. The newly synthesized mercurated DNA can be separated from cellular DNA and RNA on a thiol-agarose affinity matrix. The rate of incorporation of [3H]thymidine triphosphate into permeable cells is the same as that of the incorporation of [3H]thymidine into intact cells, corresponding to approximately 30% of the rate in vivo. Synthesis in permeable cells reflects DNA replication shown by inhibitors such as 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine 5'-triphosphate (aCTP), nalidixic acid and novobiocin and by density shift experiments. More than 80% of the newly synthesized low-molecular-mass DNA, 8-60 nucleotides in length, consists of RNA-linked DNA. This conclusion is based on phosphorylation with [gamma-32]ATP and polynucleotide kinase and rephosphorylation after alkaline hydrolysis. The 5' end of RNA consists of adenylate, guanylate, cytidylate and uridylate residues in a ratio of 4:3:1.5:1.5.

Ecto-adenosine triphosphatase deficiency in cultured human T and null leukemic lymphocytes. A biochemical basis for thymidine sensitivity

Cultured leukemic T and null lymphocytes are highly sensitive to growth inhibition by thymidine, as well as the other deoxynucleosides, deoxyguanosine and deoxyadenosine. By contrast, Epstein-Barr virus-transformed B lymphocytes are relatively resistant to deoxynucleosides. Growth inhibition is associated with the development of high deoxyribotriphosphate pools after exposure to the respective deoxynucleotides. We show that malignant T and null lymphocytes are deficient in ecto-ATPase activity. We show this cell surface enzyme to be of broad specificity, capable of degrading both ribotriphosphates and deoxyribotriphosphates. High levels of this ecto-enzyme are found in deoxynucleoside-resistant, Epstein-Barr virus-transformed B lymphocytes. Ecto-ATPase deficiency may represent a mechanism for increased sensitivity to deoxynucleoside growth inhibition.

DNA synthesis in isolated chromatin. Nature of activities, and relationship to kinetics of DNA polymerase release from chromatin DNA

Chromatin isolated from Ehrlich ascites tumor cells showed two DNA synthetic activities differing in sensitivity to N-ethylmaleimide. For studies on the nature of activities and relationship to kinetics of DNA polymerase, a new method was developed for detecting the activity of DNA polymerase released from chromatin DNA during DNA synthesis in vitro. The activity of DNA polymerase released was measured in a reaction mixture for DNA synthesis using exogenously added poly(dA-dT) as a template-primer in the presence of actinomycin D. Evidence that the DNA polymerase released was actually involved in DNA synthesis of chromatin was obtained in experiments using chromatin isolated from cells treated with various concentrations of 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine and chromatin from adult mouse liver. The experiments showed that chromatin isolated from cells in which only small amount of DNA polymerase was engaged in DNA synthesis released a negligible amount of DNA polymerase, especially N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive polymerase. Kinetic analysis of DNA polymerase during chromatin DNA synthesis by the new method suggested that KCl at the optimal concentration (10-20 mM) for the N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive chromatin activity enhanced the binding of the N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive DNA polymerase to chromatin DNA. From the findings that addition of actinomycin D or omission of dNTPs from the preincubation mixture prevents this binding, it is suggested that the binding of DNA polymerase is followed by the DNA chain synthesis and that the DNA polymerase involved in this reaction is N-ethylmaleimide sensitive. Data on the effect of KCl on the rate of chromatin DNA synthesis and on the size of the DNA chain favor this assumption.