We showed that the efficacy of the new 2'-deoxycytidine (2'-dCyd) analogue antimetabolite 2'-deoxy-2'-methylidenecytidine (DMDC) correlates well with tumor levels of cytidine (Cyd) deaminase in human cancer xenograft models. DMDC was highly effective in tumors with higher levels of Cyd deaminase, whereas lower levels yielded only slight activity. In contrast, gemcitabine (2',2'-difluorodeoxycyt...

Adenosine modulates immune/inflammatory reactions. This study investigates the expression of adenosine deaminase in the inflamed colon, the effects of adenosine deaminase inhibitors on established colitis, and the recruitment of adenosine receptors by endogenous adenosine after adenosine deaminase blockade. Adenosine deaminase expression was determined by Western blot. The effects of 4-amino-2-...

Erythrocytes from 1 1 patients with presumptive diagnoses of transient erythroblastopenia of childhood were evaluated retrospectively (six) or prospectively (five) for a possible relationship between erythrocyte adenosine 5’monophosphate aminohydrolase. adenylic acid deaminase (AMP deaminase) activity and intracellular concentrations of adenine nucleotides. Older red blood cell (RBC) cohorts in...

The activity of porphobilinogen deaminase was measured in young and senescent or mature leaves of pepper (Capsicum annuum), and poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima). Whereas high activity was found in the crude extracts of the young leaves, almost no activity was found in the extracts of senescent or mature leaves. The decrease in deaminase activity was not due to the presence of an isolatable in...

Here we describe studies of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) adenosine deaminase in Xenopus laevis, in particular during meiotic maturation, the period during which a stage VI oocyte matures to an egg. We show that dsRNA adenosine deaminase is in the nuclei of stage VI oocytes. Most importantly, we demonstrate that the cytoplasm of stage VI oocytes contains a factor that protects microinjected dsRNA...

The deoxycytidine deaminase APOBEC3G (A3G) is expressed in human T cells and inhibits HIV-1 replication. When transfected into A3G-deficient epithelial cell lines, A3G induces catastrophic hypermutation by deaminating the HIV-1 genome. Interestingly, studies suggest that endogenous A3G in T cells induces less hypermutation than would be expected. However, to date, the specific deaminase activit...

An assay of adenosine deaminase activity in pleural effusions is described. For the continuous determination of adenosine deaminase, the liberated ammonia is estimated by coupling the liberated NH3 with 2-oxoglutarate. The reaction is followed by the decrease of NADH absorbance at 340 nm. The assay was optimized for a Hitachi 705 analyser, with respect to pH, adenosine concentration and glutama...

The occurrence of different porphobilinogen deaminase mutant types in 68 patients with acute intermittent porphyria from 33 unrelated families in Finland was studied with biochemical and immunological techniques. In this fairly homogenous population four different porphobilinogen deaminase mutant types were identified and their frequencies determined. Most (about 80%) of the mutations were cros...