Formycin B, purine nucleoside phosphorylase and lymphocyte function

A genetic deficiency of purine nucleoside phosphorylase (NP) is associated with immune dysfunctin that specifically affects T cells. An absence of adenosine deaminase (ADA), the preceding enzyme in the pathway of purine recycling, is associated with failure of both T and B lymphocyte function. Formycin B, an analogue of inosine and an inhibitor of purine nucleosidase phosphorylase, was used in cell culture systems to stimulate deficiency of this enzyme. The cells used were normal circulating lymphocytes and lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCL) with T and B cell characteristics. Formycin B inhibited the growth of these cells, but its primary effect was found to be due to a mechanism other than purine nucleoside phosphorylase inhibition. The possibility that formycin B was inhibiting adenosine deaminase, for which it is a product analogue, was studied by the analysis of reaction progress curves using the integrated rate equation. The molecular structure of formycin B, whilst preventing its phosphorylytic cleavage by purine nucleoside phosphorylase, could enable this compound to function as a substrate for adenosine kinase. The resultant formation of formycin B nucleotide probably causes the observed inhibition of growth in cultured cells.