ENZYMES OF PURINE METABOLISM IN HUMAN PERIPHERAL LYMPHOCYTE SUB-POPULATIONS

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 50  (1) , 148-154
Abstract
Ecto-5''-nucleotidase (5''NT), adenosine deaminase (ADA), purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) and deoxycytidine (CdR), deoxyguanosine (GdR), deoxyadenosine (AdR) and adenosine (AR) kinases were measured in subpopulations of peripheral blood lymphocytes of 8 healthy volunteers. The separation of B, T, T helper/inducer and T suppressor/cytotoxic cells was performed by density gradient centrifugation, E [erythrocyte] rosetting, passage through a nylon-wool column and antibody affinity chromatography utilizing OKT8 and OKT4 monoclonal antibodies. ADA was significatnly higher in T lymphocytes and 5''NT in B lymphocytes. Among T cell subpopulations, 5''NT activity was significantly higher (P < 0.01) in T suppressor/cytotoxic (OKT8+) cells (32.9 units/106 cells) than in T helper/inducer (OKT4+) cells (9.7 units/106 cells). The 5''NT activity in T suppressor cells was similar to that in B cells. T helper cells tended to have higher PNP and ADA activities than T suppressor cells but the differences were not statistically significant. No major differences were noted in kinase activities between any of the lymphocyte subpopulations.