title: Purine and pyrimidine nucleotide metabolism of vascular smooth muscle cells in culture.
abstract: 1. Cultures of vascular smooth muscle cells accumulate extracellular breakdown products of purine and pyrimidine nucleotides that, over 9 hr, represent 60 +/- 7 and 78 +/- 17%, respectively, of the intracellular nucleotide content. 2. The accumulation is stimulated during contracture with 20 mM KCl or 70 microM carbachol, consistent with the notion that both pyrimidine and purine nucleotides are involved in the energetics of smooth muscle contracture. 3. Because the intracellular levels of pyrimidine and purine nucleotides remain constant, it appears likely that rates of synthesis match the rates of release. 4. Ectonucleotidases are present that can degrade ATP, UTP, and CTP. High-energy nucleotides may be the primary products released.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia.
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: James
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Appleby
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Steen
authors.forename: E Q
authors.initials: EQ
authors.lastname: Colquhoun
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Clark
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D002452:Cell Count; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002794:Choline / Q000494:pharmacology; D002999:Clone Cells; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011189:Potassium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D011685:Purine Nucleotides / Q000378:metabolism*; D011742:Pyrimidine Nucleotides / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D011685:Purine Nucleotides; D011742:Pyrimidine Nucleotides; D011189:Potassium Chloride; D002794:Choline