title: Preferential utilisation of deoxycytidine by undifferentiated (peanut positive) tonsillar lymphocytes.
abstract: Peanut agglutinin (PNA), a D-galactose specific lectin, agglutinated 10-18% of lymphocytes isolated from tonsils of 3- to 6-yr-old children. PNA+ cells were found to be mainly B lymphocytes showing a 9.6 times higher specific activity of DNA polymerase alpha compared to the PNA- cells. The specific activity of deoxycytidine kinase as well as the incorporation of [5-3H]deoxycytidine were also much higher in PNA+ cell fraction than in PNA- fraction (7.7-fold and 6-fold, respectively). On the other hand, thymidine kinase activity and [5-3H]deoxythymidine incorporation were only 3.6 and 3.9 times higher, respectively. The data presented here show a high degree of DNA synthesis and preferential utilisation of [5-3H]deoxycytidine for DNA synthesis in this undifferentiated B lymphocyte fraction.
mesh_terms: D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D037102:Lectins / Q000378:metabolism; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000166:cytology; D019887:Peanut Agglutinin; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D037102:Lectins; D019887:Peanut Agglutinin; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D004247:DNA