ABSTRACT
Adenosine deaminase (ADA), an enzyme essential for the differentiation of lymphoid cells, has been used for monitoring diseases with altered immunity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in serum ADA activity throughout normal pregnancy. We measured the catalytic values of serum ADA from 202 normal pregnant women using a commercial kit. Subjects were divided into four groups according to the gestational age in weeks (Gwks) (Group I: 5-9 Gwks [n=58]; Group II: 15-20 Gwks [n= 63]; Group III: 24-30 Gwks [n=34]; Group IV: 30-39 Gwks [n=47]). The serum ADA levels for the Groups I, II, III, and IV were as follows: 20.1+/-6.9 IU/L, 20.0+/-7.6 IU/L, 37.9+/-19.9 IU/L, and 24.5+/-8.6 IU/L, respectively. The serum ADA activity of group III was significantly higher than the other groups (p<0.05). However, there was no significant correlation between the Gwks and the serum ADA activity. Furthermore, other parameters, such as maternal age (p=0.29), gestational age at delivery (p=0.07), delivery mode (p=0.39), and birth weight (p=0.59) had no correlation with ADA activity. Reference values of serum ADA in normal pregnancy may provide important database for making clinical decisions in pregnancies complicated by conditions where cellular immunity has been altered.
Subject(s)
Adult , Female , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Pregnancy , Adenosine/metabolism , Adenosine Deaminase/blood , Analysis of Variance , Birth Weight , Gestational Age , Inosine/metabolism , Logistic Models , Maternal Age , Substrate SpecificityABSTRACT
In this study the uptake and metabolism of adenosine by mitochondria has been investigated. Incubation of CEM cells mitochondria preparation with [3H]-adenosine showed substantial uptake and metabolism of adenosine. Adenosine was both anabolized to AMP, ADP and ATP, and also catabolized to inosine. The highest concentration of metabolites in extracted mitochondria was due to AMP. The mitochondria preparation did not show any 5'-nucleotidase activity and this will exclude any possibility of the production of adenosine from AMP in the preparation. Coincubation of [3H]-adenosine with mitochondria in the presence of 2 [micro] M of a known potent nucleoside transporter inhibitor, nitrobenzylthioinosine [NBMPR], substantially reduced the mitochondria content of adenosine and its metabolites. The results of this study showed that adenosine was uptaken by the mitochondria preparation. Metabolism of adenosine after incubation with CEM mitochondria provided further evidence for mitochondrial uptake and metabolism of this nucleoside