Analysis of Adenosine and Other Adenine Compounds in Patients With Immunodeficiency Diseases

Abstract

Adenine compounds can be measured in picomole amounts using liquid chromatography of the fluorescent 1, N⁶-etheno derivatives. The limit of detection for the etheno derivatives in tissue extracts, however, is tissue-dependent due to interference by nucleotides and fluorescent components which are normally present. Prior to derivatization nucleotides were partially removed from extracts of lymphocytes and erythrocytes by treatment with Dowex AG1-X2 anion exchange resin. Samples were analyzed using either a Partisil PXS 10/25 SCX column eluted with 100 mM NH₄H₂PO₄, pH 4.5, at a flow rate of 2 ml/min; or using two μBondapak/C₁₈ reversed-phase columns eluted with 5 mM KH₂PO,₄:25% methanol (V/V) pH 7.5, at a flow rate of 1 ml/min. Adenosine was found to be 0.07 nmole/ml in normal adult human plasma. The urine of a child with severe combined immunodeficiency disease associated with absence of adenosine deaminase contained a normal amount of adenosine (5–6 nmole/ml), but contained a high level (∼60 nmole/ml) of deoxyadenosine. Deoxyadenosine was not detected (<0.01 nmole/ml) in normal adult urine. Because of its sensitivity and selectivity, this method of analysis should be applicable to studies of the physiological roles of adenine compounds.