Disordered lymphoid purine metabolism contributes to the pathogenesis of persistent Borrelia garinii infection in mice.

Extracellular ATP and adenosine are important regulators of immune responses; however, contribution of purinergic signaling to host defense during persistent microbial infections remains obscure. Lyme borreliosis is a common arthropod-borne infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. In this study, we investigated whether lymphoid purinergic signaling contributes to the mechanisms by which borreliae species evade the immune system and trigger joint inflammation. Intracutaneous inoculation of Borrelia garinii to C3H/He mice induced symptomatic infection manifested in elevated levels of borrelia-specific IgG Abs, persistent spirochete dissemination into the tissues and joint swelling, as well as approximately 2- to 2.5-fold enlargement of draining lymph nodes with hyperplasia of B cell follicle area and L-selectin shedding from activated T lymphocytes. Purine catabolism was also activated in lymph nodes but not spleen and blood of infected C3H/He mice within the first 4 postinfection weeks, particularly manifested in transient upregulations of adenosine triphosphatase/ectonucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase and ecto-5'-nucleotidase/CD73 on CD4(+)CD8(+) T lymphocytes and adenosine deaminase activity on B220(+) B lymphocytes. Compared with borrelia-susceptible C3H/He strain, lymphocytes from C57BL/6 mice displayed markedly enhanced adenosine-generating capability due to approximately three times higher ratio of ecto-5'-nucleotidase to adenosine deaminase. Borrelia-infected C57BL/6 mice efficiently eradicated the inoculated spirochetes at more chronic stage without any signs of arthritis. Strikingly, deletion of key adenosine-generating enzyme, ecto-5'-nucleotidase/CD73, was accompanied by significantly enhanced joint swelling in borrelia-infected CD73-deficient C57BL/6 mice. Collectively, these data suggest that insufficient basal adenosine level and/or pathogen-induced disordered lymphoid purine homeostasis may serve as important prerequisite for promotion of inflammatory responses and further host's commitment to persistence of bacterial infection and arthritis development.

Intravascular ADP and soluble nucleotidases contribute to acute prothrombotic state during vigorous exercise in humans.

Extracellular ATP and ADP trigger vasodilatatory and prothrombotic signalling events in the vasculature. Here, we tested the hypothesis that nucleotide turnover is activated in the bloodstream of exercising humans thus contributing to the enhanced platelet reactivity and haemostasis. Right atrial, arterial and venous blood samples were collected from endurance-trained athletes at rest, during submaximal and maximal cycle ergometer exercise, and after early recovery. ATP-specific bioluminescent assay, together with high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis, revealed that plasma ATP and ADP concentrations increased up to 2.5-fold during maximal exercise. Subsequent flow cytometric analysis showed that plasma from exercising subjects significantly up-regulated the surface expression of P-selectin in human platelets and these prothrombotic effects were diminished after scavenging plasma nucleotides with exogenous apyrase. Next, using thin layer chromatographic assays with [gamma-(32)P]ATP and (3)H/(14)C-labelled nucleotides, we showed that two soluble nucleotide-inactivating enzymes, nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase and nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase, constitutively circulate in human bloodstream. Strikingly, serum nucleotide pyrophosphatase and hydrolase activities rose during maximal exercise by 20-25 and 80-100%, respectively, and then declined after 30 min recovery. Likewise, soluble nucleotidases were transiently up-regulated in the venous blood of sedentary subjects during exhaustive exercise. Human serum also contains 5'-nucleotidase, adenylate kinase and nucleoside diphosphate (NDP) kinase; however, these activities remain unchanged during exercise. In conclusion, intravascular ADP significantly augments platelet activity during strenuous exercise and these prothrombotic responses are counteracted by concurrent release of soluble nucleotide-inactivating enzymes. These findings provide a novel insight into the mechanisms underlying the enhanced risk of occlusive thrombus formation under exercising conditions.

ATP-consuming and ATP-generating enzymes secreted by pancreas.

Pancreatic acini release ATP in response to various stimuli, including cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8), as we show in the present study. There were indications that pancreatic juice also contains enzymes that could hydrolyze ATP during its passage through the ductal system. The aim of this study was to determine which ATP-degrading and possibly ATP-generating enzymes were present in pancreatic secretion. For this purpose, pancreatic juice was collected from anesthetized rats stimulated with infusion of CCK-8. Purine-converting activities in juice samples were assayed by TLC using either [gamma-(32)P]ATP or (14)C/(3)H-labeled and unlabeled nucleotides as appropriate substrates. Data show that the juice contains the enzyme ecto-nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase that can hydrolyze both [(14)C]ATP and [(3)H]ADP about equally well, i.e. CD39. Reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography analysis additionally shows that this enzyme has broad substrate specificity toward other nucleotides, UTP, UDP, ITP, and IDP. In addition, secretion contains ecto-5'-nucleotidase, CD73, further converting [(3)H]AMP to adenosine. Along with highly active hydrolytic enzymes, there were also ATP-generating enzymes in pancreatic juice, adenylate kinase, and NDP kinase, capable of sequentially phosphorylating AMP via ADP to ATP. Activities of nonspecific phosphatases, nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterases, and adenosine deaminase were negligible. Taken together, CCK-8 stimulation of pancreas causes release of both ATP-consuming and ATP-generating enzymes into pancreatic juice. This newly discovered richness of secreted enzymes underscores the importance of purine signaling between acini and pancreatic ducts lumen and implies regulation of the purine-converting enzymes release.

The detection of micromolar pericellular ATP pool on lymphocyte surface by using lymphoid ecto-adenylate kinase as intrinsic ATP sensor.

Current models of extracellular ATP turnover include transient release of nanomolar ATP concentrations, triggering of signaling events, and subsequent ectoenzymatic inactivation. Given the high substrate specificity for adenylate kinase for reversible reaction (ATP + AMP <--> 2ADP), we exploited lymphoid ecto-adenylate kinase as an intrinsic probe for accurate sensing pericellular ATP. Incubation of leukemic T- and B-lymphocytes with [3H]AMP or [alpha-32P]AMP induces partial nucleotide conversion into high-energy phosphoryls. This "intrinsic" AMP phosphorylation occurs in time- and concentration-dependent fashions via nonlytic supply of endogenous gamma-phosphate-donating ATP, remains relatively resistant to bulk extracellular ATP scavenging by apyrase, and is diminished after lymphocyte pretreatment with membrane-modifying agents. This enzyme-coupled approach, together with confocal imaging of quinacrine-labeled ATP stores, suggests that, along with predominant ATP accumulation within cytoplasmic granules, micromolar ATP concentrations are constitutively retained on lymphoid surface without convection into bulk milieu. High basal levels of inositol phosphates in the cells transfected with ATP-selective human P2Y2-receptor further demonstrate that lymphocyte-surrounding ATP is sufficient for triggering purinergic responses both in autocrine and paracrine fashions. The ability of nonstimulated lymphocytes to maintain micromolar ATP halo might represent a novel route initiating signaling cascades within immunological synapses and facilitating leukocyte trafficking between the blood and tissues.

Soluble purine-converting enzymes circulate in human blood and regulate extracellular ATP level via counteracting pyrophosphatase and phosphotransfer reactions.

Extracellular ATP and other purines play a crucial role in the vasculature, and their turnover is selectively governed by a network of ectoenzymes expressed both on endothelial and hematopoietic cells. By studying the whole pattern of purine metabolism in human serum, we revealed the existence of soluble enzymes capable of both inactivating and transphosphorylating circulating purines. Evidence for this was obtained by using independent assays, including chromatographic analyses with 3H-labeled and unlabeled nucleotides and adenosine, direct transfer of gamma-terminal phosphate from [gamma-32P]ATP to NDP/AMP, and bioluminescent measurement of ATP metabolism. Based on substrate-specificity and competitive studies, we identified three purine-inactivating enzymes in human serum, nucleotide pyrophosphatase (EC 3.6.1.9), 5'-nucleotidase (EC 3.1.3.5), and adenosine deaminase (EC 3.5.4.4), whereas an opposite ATP-generating pathway is represented by adenylate kinase (EC 2.7.4.3) and NDP kinase (EC 2.7.4.6). Comparative kinetic analysis revealed that the Vmax values for soluble nucleotide kinases significantly exceed those of counteracting nucleotidases, whereas the apparent Km values for serum enzymes were fairly comparable and varied within a range of 40-70 micro mol/l. Identification of soluble enzymes contributing, along with membrane-bound ectoenzymes, to the active cycling between circulating ATP and other purines provides a novel insight into the regulatory mechanisms of purine homeostasis in the blood.

The evidence for two opposite, ATP-generating and ATP-consuming, extracellular pathways on endothelial and lymphoid cells.

Extracellular purines are important signalling molecules in the vasculature that are regulated by a network of cell surface ectoenzymes. By using human endothelial cells and normal and leukaemic lymphocytes as enzyme sources, we identified the following purine-converting ectoenzymes: (1) ecto-nucleotidases, NTP diphosphohydrolase/CD39 (EC 3.6.1.5) and ecto-5'-nucleotidase/CD73 (EC 3.1.3.5); (2) ecto-nucleotide kinases, adenylate kinase (EC 2.7.4.3) and nucleoside diphosphate kinase (EC 2.7.4.6); (3) ecto-adenosine deaminase (EC 3.5.4.4). Evidence for this was obtained by using enzyme assays with (3)H-labelled nucleotides and adenosine as substrates, direct evaluation of gamma-phosphate transfer from [gamma-(32)P]ATP to AMP/NDP, and bioluminescent measurement of extracellular ATP synthesis. In addition, incorporation of radioactivity into an approx. 20 kDa surface protein was observed following incubation of Namalwa B cells with [gamma-(32)P]ATP. Thus two opposite, ATP-generating and ATP-consuming, pathways coexist on the cell surface, where basal ATP release, re-synthesis of high-energy phosphoryls, and selective ecto-protein phosphorylation are counteracted by stepwise nucleotide breakdown with subsequent adenosine inactivation. The comparative measurements of enzymic activities indicated the predominance of the nucleotide-inactivating pathway via ecto-nucleotidase reactions on the endothelial cells. The lymphocytes are characterized by counteracting ATP-regenerating/adenosine-eliminating phenotypes, thus allowing them to avoid the lymphotoxic effects of adenosine and maintain surrounding ATP at a steady-state level. These results are in agreement with divergent effects of ATP and adenosine on endothelial function and haemostasis, and provide a novel regulatory mechanism of local agonist availability for nucleotide- or nucleoside-selective receptors within the vasculature.