title: High plasma adenine concentration in chronic renal failure and its relation to erythrocyte ATP.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Concentration of plasma adenine has been found to increase in chronic renal failure (CRF). The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether high plasma adenine concentration contributes to the elevated ATP in erythrocytes of patients with CRF.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three groups of patients with CRF were studied: (A) 30 patients with different degree of CRF; (B) 11 patients on hemodialysis, and (C) 12 patients after successful renal transplantation. Concentrations of plasma adenine and erythrocyte adenine nucleotides were measured in groups A, B and C. Furthermore, adenine incorporation into erythrocyte adenine nucleotide pool was measured in group A.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A positive correlation between plasma adenine and creatinine concentrations was found in CRF as well as between plasma adenine and erythrocyte ATP. Furthermore, positive correlation was evident between the rate of adenine incorporation into erythrocyte adenine nucleotide pool and the severity of CRF. A significant reduction in both plasma adenine and erythrocyte ATP was observed immediately following hemodalysis, but 2 days later, high predialysis plasma adenine and erythrocyte ATP concentrations were restored. Following successful renal transplantation erythrocyte ATP and plasma adenine concentrations reached control values.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results provide evidence that plasma adenine concentration increases in parallel to the progress of the disease and that it could be responsible for the increase in erythrocyte ATP of patients with CRF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Medical University of Gdansk, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewa M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Slominska
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Szolkiewicz
authors.forename: Ryszard T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Smolenski
authors.forename: Boleslaw
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rutkowski
authors.forename: Julian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Swierczynski
mesh_terms: D000225:Adenine / Q000097:blood*; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism*; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D014511:Uremia / Q000097:blood / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D003404:Creatinine; D000225:Adenine