INHIBITION OF ADENOSINE-DEAMINASE ACTIVITY RESULTS IN CYTO-TOXICITY TO T-LYMPHOBLASTS INVIVO

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 56  (3) , 556-559
Abstract
A patient with refractory T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia was treated with 2''-deoxycoformycin, a potent inhibitor of the enzyme adenosine deaminase. Inhibition of adenosine deaminase activity resulted in the following: an abrupt rise in plasma deoxyadenosine, but not adenosine, concentrations; accumulation of deoxyadenosine triphosphate by lymphoblasts: inhibition of the enzyme S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase; and rapid lysis of the leukemic cells. The patient died suddenly 3 days after therapy was discontinued; postmortem examination revealed a complete absence of leukemic cells in all organs. Pharmacologic inhibition of adenosine deaminase activity can result in the lysis of T lymphoblasts in vivo; this effect appears to be mediated by deoxyadenosine.