Biochemical characterization of adenosine deaminase (CD26 EC 3. 5. 4. 4) activity in human lymphocyte-rich peripheral blood mononuclear cells

The conversion of adenosine to inosine is catalyzed by adenosine deaminase (ADA) (EC 3.5.4.4), which has two isoforms in humans (ADA1 and ADA2) and belongs to the zinc-dependent hydrolase family. ADA modulates lymphocyte function and differentiation, and regulates inflammatory and immune responses. This study investigated ADA activity in lymphocyte-rich peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in the absence of disease. The viability of lymphocyte-rich PBMCs isolated from humans and kept in 0.9% saline solution at 4-8°C was analyzed over 20 h. The incubation time and biochemical properties of the enzyme, such as its Michaelis-Menten constant (Km) and maximum velocity (Vmax), were characterized through the liberation of ammonia from the adenosine substrate. Additionally, the presence of ADA protein on the lymphocyte surface was determined by flow cytometry using an anti-CD26 monoclonal human antibody, and the PBMCs showed long-term viability after 20 h. The ADA enzymatic activity was linear from 15 to 120 min of incubation, from 2.5 to 12.5 µg of protein, and pH 6.0 to 7.4. The Km and Vmax values were 0.103±0.051 mM and 0.025±0.001 nmol NH3·mg-1·s-1, respectively. Zinc and erythro-9-(2-hydroxy-3-nonyl) adenine (EHNA) inhibited enzymatic activity, and substrate preference was given to adenosine over 2′-deoxyadenosine and guanosine. The present study provides the biochemical characterization of ADA in human lymphocyte-rich PBMCs, and indicates the appropriate conditions for enzyme activity quantification.

Ectonucleotidase activities in Sertoli cells from immature rats

Sertoli cells have been shown to be targets for extracellular purines such as ATP and adenosine. These purines evoke responses in Sertoli cells through two subtypes of purinoreceptors, P2Y2 and P A1. The signals to purinoreceptors are usually terminated by the action of ectonucleotidases. To demonstrate these enzymatic activities, we cultured rat Sertoli cells for four days and then used them for different assays. ATP, ADP and AMP hydrolysis was estimated by measuring the Pi released using a colorimetric method. Adenosine deaminase activity (EC 3.5.4.4) was determined by HPLC. The cells were not disrupted after 40 min of incubation and the enzymatic activities were considered to be ectocellularly localized. ATP and ADP hydrolysis was markedly increased by the addition of divalent cations to the reaction medium. A competition plot demonstrated that only one enzymatic site is responsible for the hydrolysis of ATP and ADP. This result indicates that the enzyme that acts on the degradation of tri- and diphosphate nucleosides on the surface of Sertoli cells is a true ATP diphosphohydrolase (EC 3.6.1.5) (specific activities of 113 + or - 6 and 21 + or - 2 nmol Pi mg-1 min-1 for ATP and ADP, respectively). The ecto-5'-nucleotidase (EC 3.1.3.5) and ectoadenosine deaminase activities (specific activities of 32 + or - 2 nmol Pi mg-1 min-1 for AMP and 1.52 + or - 0.13 nmol adenosine mg-1 min-1, respectively) were shown to be able to terminate the effects of purines and may be relevant for the physiological control of extracellular levels of nucleotides and nucleosides inside the seminiferous tubules

Catabolism of Ap4A and Ap5A by rat brain synaptosomes

Adenosine 5',5'''-P1,P4-tetraphosphate (Ap4A) and adenosine 5',5'''-P1,P5-pentaphosphate (Ap5A) are stored in and released from rat brain synaptic terminals. In the present study we investigated the hydrolysis of dinucleotides (Ap4A and Ap5A) in synaptosomes from the cerebral cortex of adult rats. Ap4A and Ap5A, but not Ap3A, were hydrolyzed at pH 7.5 in the presence of 20 mM Tris/HCl, 2.0 mM MgCl2, 10 mM glucose and 225 mM sucrose at 37oC. The disappearance of the substrates measured by FPLC on a mono-Q HR column was both time and protein dependent. Since synaptosome integrity was at least 90 percent at the end of the assay, hydrolysis probably occurred by the action of an ecto-enzyme. Extracellular actions of adenine dinucleotides at central nervous system terminate due to the existence of ecto-nucleotidases which specifically cleave these dinucleotides. These enzymes in association with an ATP diphosphohydrolase and a 5'-nucleotidase are able to promote the complete hydrolysis of dinucleotides to adenosine in the synaptic cleft

Effects of undernutrition during suckling on ATP and ADP hydrolysis by synaptosomes from the cerebral cortex of adult rats

Early undernutrition can cause permanent functional changes in the nervous system. Alterations in enzymes involved in neurotransmiter metabolism have been reported to result from early undernutrition. In a previous study, we demonstrated that undernutrition during suckling decreaseATP and ADP hydrolysis by synaptosomes from cerebral cortex by abouth 20% of the value found in 20-day-old well-nourished rats (j.B.T. Rocha, C.F. Melo, J.J.F.Sarkis and R.D. Dias, British Journal of Nutrition, 63:273-283, 1990). In the present study, we investigated whether this deficit persists in synaptosomes from cerebral cortex of nutritionally rehabilitated adult rats. rats were undernourished from birth to 25 days of life by feeding their dams a 7% casein (w/w) diet, while well-nourished offspring were fed by mothers maintained on a 28% casein diet. In contrast to the results previously obtained in young rats, the synaptosomes obtained from the cerebral cortex of early undernourished adult rats hydrolyzed ATP and ADP more efficiently than did those obtained from well-nourished rats. Specific activity (nmol min-1 mg protein-1, mean ñ SD) was 114.9ñ9.5 for undernourished rats (N=8) for ATP, and 50.4ñ6.1 (N=8) vs 38.8ñ4.5 (N=8) for ADP. These results suggest that the deficits found in young rats disappear in rehabilitation adult rats

Ontogeny of ATP and ADP hydrolysis by cerebral cortex synaptosomes from rats

In the present study, we examined the ontogeny of ATP and ADP hydrolysis by cerebral cortex symptosomes from rats of various ages (0-, 7-, 14-, 21- and 60 to 90-day-old rats) in order to learn whether hydrolytic activity increases during the period of intense brain grwth, as has been reported for other enzymes involved in neurotransmitter metabolism. the results demonstrate that ATP and ADP hydrolyzing activities increase in parallel from birth until the second postnatal week (about 4-fold), followed by a slight and statistically insignificant increase until the animal reaches adulthood. The maximum increase in nucleotide hidrolysis coincided with mximum brain growth, which may indicate a role for the enzyme in neurotransmission. Furthermore, the parallel development of both activities (ATPase and ADPase) strongly suggest that a single enzyme, an ATP diphosphohydrolase, is involved in ATP and ADP hydrolisis by the synaptosomal fraction

Effects of chronic treatment with high doses of chlorpromazine on ATP and ADP hydrolysis by synaptosomal fractions from the rat caudate nucleus

Several studies have indicated that chlorpromazine and its metabolites affect ATP hydrolysis by brain and liver plasma membranes in vitro. The present report examines whether chronic treatment (12 days) with high doses of chlorpromazine (10 and 40 mg/kg) could affect ATP and ADP hydrolysis by synaptosomal fractions from the rate caudate nucleus. Both doses of chlorpromazine caused significant and paralled decreases (23 to 31%) in the ATP and ADP hydrolysis. The parallelism between the effects of chlorpromazine on ATP and ADP hydrolys suggests the participation of a single enzyme (ATP diphosphohydrolase) in nucleotide hydrolysis