title: Lymphoblast purine pathway enzymes in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
abstract: Activities of enzymes of the purine metabolic pathway, adenosine deaminase (ADA), purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP), and 5'-nucleotidase (5'-N), were investigated in the lymphoblasts of a patient with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. These lymphoblasts exhibited increased ADA activity and diminished activities of both PNP and 5'N' as compared to normal lymphocytes as well as non-T, non-B leukemia cells. This enzymatic pattern is identical to that which has been described in T-cell leukemic lymphoblasts and differs from that which has been observed in the malignant cells of undifferentiated B-cell lymphomas. These data suggest that there is biochemical heterogeneity within the spectrum of B-cell malignancies. Furthermore, inhibitors of ADA may be of use in those B-cell lymphoid neoplasms that exhibit increased ADA activity.
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000243:Adenosine Deaminase / Q000378:metabolism*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000201:enzymology*; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D009700:Nucleoside Deaminases / Q000378:metabolism*; D009708:Nucleotidases / Q000378:metabolism; D010430:Pentosyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011683:Purine-Nucleoside Phosphorylase / Q000378:metabolism*; D011687:Purines / Q000378:metabolism*; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell; D011951:Receptors, Complement
chemical_list: D011687:Purines; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell; D011951:Receptors, Complement; D010430:Pentosyltransferases; D011683:Purine-Nucleoside Phosphorylase; D009708:Nucleotidases; C030287:nucleotidase; D009700:Nucleoside Deaminases; D000243:Adenosine Deaminase