Hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase and hypoxanthine uptake in human erythrocytes

A system of hypoxanthine uptake and IMP retention was studied and characterized in human erythrocytes. It follows closely the system already described for rabbit erythrocytes[7]. IMP formation and retention are dependent on the activity of hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl-transferase and on intracellular availability of phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate (P-Rib-PP), which is one of the substrates. In the extrecellular medium, neither P-Rib-PP nor GMP -- a potent inhibitor of the enzyme in vitro -- has any influence on IMP retention. The amount of residual hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase in erythrocyte ghost preparations is directly related to the residual hemoglobin content. Thus the enzyme is characterized as typically soluble and "loosely bound" to membranes. There is a slight difference in the kinetic properties of the ghost-bound and the free soluble enzyme. The possible importance of these results for purine uptake and utilization in human red cells is discussed.