Adenine and hypoxanthine metabolism in phythohemagglutinin-stimulated and unstimulated human lymphocytes

Metabolic profile of irradiated whole blood by chemical isotope-labeling liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

Irradiated blood is a new type of blood product used to prevent transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease. However, the effects of irradiation on the metabolism of plasma, red blood cells (RBCs), and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are largely unknown. We developed a workflow for testing metabolic changes in whole blood to determine the impact of irradiation by chemical isotope labeling liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (CIL LC-MS). Blood parameters, PBMC proliferation and apoptosis were examined before and after irradiation. Next, the amine/phenol metabolites in the blood components were assayed by ¹²C- and¹³C-dansylation labeling LC-MS. We identified 1654, 1730, and 1666 peak pairs in plasma, RBCs, and PBMCs, respectively. We screened out 367, 177, and 219 significant metabolites in plasma, RBCs, and PBMCs, respectively, by principle component analyses, volcano plots, and Venn plots. Metabolic pathway analyses showed that irradiation modulated taurine and hypotaurine metabolism in plasma and purine metabolism in RBCs and PBMCs. Changes in potential biomarkers, including an increase in hypoxanthine level and a decrease in adenine level, may be related to the dysfunction of DNA synthesis in PBMCs. The decreased AMP level in RBCs may interfere with RBC storage lesions. Our research provides a more comprehensive perspective on blood metabolism associated with irradiation.

Purine re-utilization in normal and malignant cells of human placental origin

The metabolism of the purine compounds adenine, hypoxanthine and adenosine, was studied in cultured human choriocarcinoma cells (BeWo) and in term human placental cells in primary culture. Both preparations retained at least some specific placental functions, as shown by secretion of human chorionic gonadotrophin, which was less in the malignant cell line than in the primary culture. In contrast, choriocarcinoma cells incorporated substantially more purine bases (adenine and hypoxanthine) and nucleoside (adenosine) into nucleotides, mainly ATP. Adenosine metabolism was concentration-dependent, with a higher proportion metabolized to hypoxanthine at higher substrate concentration. The term placental cells, which do not divide in culture, have a less active purine metabolism, but they retain a degree of specialized function higher than that of malignant cells of placental origin.