title: Simultaneous separation by high-performance liquid chromatography of carbamoyl aspartate, carbamoyl phosphate and dihydroorotic acid.
abstract: Leflunomide is an immunomodulatory drug which acts by inhibiting dihydroorotic acid dehydrogenase, the fourth enzyme of pyrimidine biosynthesis. We modified our high-performance liquid chromatography method to demonstrate that the principal metabolite in mitogen-stimulated human T-lymphocytes incubated with leflunomide was not dihydroorotic acid, but carbamoyl aspartate. Identification involved preparation of [14C]carbamoyl aspartate from [14C]aspartic acid and mammalian aspartate transcarbamoylase. Accumulation of carbamoyl aspartate indicates that under these conditions the equilibrium constant for dihydroorotase favours the reverse reaction. This HPLC method, enabling simultaneous separation of the first four intermediates in the de novo pyrimidine pathway may be of use in a variety of experimental situations.
authors.affiliation: Purine Research Laboratory, GKT Guy's Hospital, London Bridge, London, UK. l.fairbanks@umds.ac.uk
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Fairbanks
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Carrey
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rückemann
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Swaminathan
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kirschbaum
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Simmonds
mesh_terms: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D002221:Carbamyl Phosphate / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D007555:Isoxazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D000077339:Leflunomide; D009963:Orotic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011798:Quinaldines
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D002221:Carbamyl Phosphate; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D007555:Isoxazoles; D000077339:Leflunomide; D009963:Orotic Acid; C004768:4,5-dihydroorotic acid; C046943:brequinar; D011798:Quinaldines; C006893:ureidosuccinic acid