Plasma membrane enzymes in BALB/c lymphomas with either T or B cell properties, I. 5'-Nucleotidase

Comparison of membrane bound 5'-nucleotidase activity has been made in crude extracts and plasma membrane fractions from Abelson virus transformed lymphomas, IgM, IgG and IgA producing plasmacytomas and from thymomas with different surface antigen markers. 5'Nucleotidase activity was characterised by the following criteria : 1) optimal pH for enzyme activity, 2) specificity of 5'AMP as a substrate at the optimal pH, 3) specific inhibition of the enzyme by alpha beta methylene ADP, 4) inhibition by EDTA. 5'-Nucleotidase was found to be present on the following B cells : Abelson virus transformed lymphomas, plasmacytomas and LPS-stimulated blasts from nu/nu spleens. The enzyme was also found in one thymoma Lut 13, but it was absent from all the other thymomas studied. A possible relationship between 5'-Nucleotidase and purine metabolism in lymphocyte subpopulations is suggested by the results.