Reversed-Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) of Nucleosides in Cell Extracts with Special Reference to Deoxythymidine

Abstract

A reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system was designed to assay the nucleoside concentrations, especially deoxythymidine, of tissue cultured cells. Concentration and purification of the acid extracted cell samples were achieved by utilizing a Sep-Pak C₁₈ cartridge. After adsorption of the sample, the cartridge was washed with 0.5 ml of water followed by 2 × 0.5 ml of 2.5% methanol. The compounds of interest were subsequently eluted in 2 × 0.5 ml of methanol. The cartridge procedure was found to be fast, inexpensive and showed good recoveries for most tested nucleosides. The nucleosides uridine, deoxythymidine and adenosine could be detected in green monkey kidney cells. Ribonucleotides and deoxyribonucleotides could be separated from each other with the HPLC system used.