Studies on the kinetic properties and subcellular localization of adenine nucleotide phosphatases in peripheral blood lymphocytes from control subjects and patients with common variable primary hypogammaglobulinaemia

Abstract

Specific assays for 5'-nucleotidase, adenosine diphosphatase (ADPase) and Mg2+-dependent adenosine triphosphatase (Mg2+-ATPase) have been optimized for human lymphocytes and their subcellular localizations determined by sucrose density gradient centrifugation. 5'-Nucleotidase was localized solely to the plasma membrane of the lymphocyte. ADPase activity has been shown to have a dual localization to the plasma membrane and mitochondria, whilst Mg2+-ATPase was mainly located in the mitochondria. No [Na+,K+] activated Mg2+-dependent ATPase could be measured in these cells. We have confirmed the striking decrease in the specific activity of 5'-nucleotidase activity in lymphocytes from patients with common variable primary hypogammaglobulinaemia. In contrast, the specific activities of ADPase and Mg2+-ATPase showed no alteration in lymphocytes from the patient group when compared to controls. Thus the deficiency of ecto-5'-nucleotidase in the lymphocytes of patients with hypogammaglobulinaemia is a highly selective defect in purine metabolism.