guanosine-triphosphate and Infectious-Mononucleosis

Topics: Epstein-Barr Virus Infections; Guanosine Triphosphate; Hepatitis, Viral, Human; Herpesvirus 4, Human; Humans; Infectious Mononucleosis; Polymerase Chain Reaction

Cells from a patient with childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia contain an apparent DNA polymerase activity that was not found in any other cells except thymus cells. The enzyme has the properties of terminal transferase, an enzyme known to be found in thymocytes. The cells also contain the three major DNA polymerases found in growing cells. The results suggest that these tumor cells arose from a block in the differentiation of thymocytes. Terminal transferase may be a marker for the origin of leukemic cells.

Topics: Adenosine Triphosphate; Avian Leukosis Virus; Cell Line; Child; DNA Nucleotidyltransferases; Guanine Nucleotides; Guanosine Triphosphate; HeLa Cells; Humans; Infectious Mononucleosis; Leukemia, Lymphoid; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute; Lymphocytes; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin; Male; Middle Aged; Moloney murine leukemia virus; Oligonucleotides; Polynucleotides; Templates, Genetic; Thymine Nucleotides; Thymus Gland; Tritium

In the presence of 10(-4) to 10(-5) molar adenosine, established cell lines of fibroblastic or lymphoid origin die of pyrimidine starvation. Less than lethal concentrations inhibit cell growth. Over a broad concentration range, the effects of adenosine are prevented by providing a suitable pyrimidine source. We suggest that the recently described immune deficiency disease associated with absence of adenosine deaminase may be the result of pyrimidine starvation induced by adenosine nucleotides in cells of the lymphoid system.

Topics: Adenosine; Adenosine Diphosphate; Adenosine Triphosphate; Adolescent; Aminohydrolases; Animals; Cell Line; Cytosine Nucleotides; Female; Fibroblasts; Guanine Nucleotides; Guanosine Triphosphate; Humans; Infectious Mononucleosis; Lymphocytes; Lymphoma; Mice; Pyrimidine Nucleotides; Uracil Nucleotides; Uridine