From the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, Baghyatollah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, I.R. Iran
Abstract: (3594 Views)
In this study the uptake and metabolism of adenosine by mitochondria has been
investigated. Incubation of CEM cells mitochondria preparation with [3H] -adenosine
showed substantial uptake and metabolism of adenosine. Adenosine was both
anabolized to AMP, ADP and ATP, and also catabolized to inosine. The highest
concentration of metabolites in extracted mitochondria was due to AMP. The
mitochondria preparation did not show any 5'-nucleotidase activity and this will
exclude any possibility of the production of adenosine from AMP in the
preparation. Coincubation of [3H]-adenosine with mitochondria in the presence of
2µM of a known potent nucleoside transporter inhibitor, nitrobenzylthioinosine
(NBMPR), substantially reduced the mitochondria content of adenosine and its
metabolites. The results of this study showed that adenosine was up taken by the
mitochondria preparation. Metabolism of adenosine after incubation with CEM
mitochondria provided further evidence for mitochondrial uptake and metabolism
of this nucleoside.