Localization of purine and pyrimidine nucleoside phosphorylases in heart, kidney, and liver

In isolated livers and kidneys perfused with Krebs-Henseleit solution, the relationship of the concentration of adenosine (Ado) to that of its degradation products inosine (Ino) and hypoxanthine (Hyp) in biliary, urinary, and venous effluents were determined. They revealed ratios of Hyp:Ado:Ino, 1.9:1:0.9, 0.7:1:0.6, and 1.3:1:0.5 for guinea pig biliary, guinea pig urinary, and rat urinary effluents, respectively, and their respective venous effluent were 58:1:29, 8.6:1:5.4, and 7.4:1:3.2. The greater proportion of Ino and Hyp in the venous effluents suggests active production in Ino and Hyp at the vessel wall. Purine nucleoside phosphorylase localization was determined histochemically and found most active in the cytoplasm of capillary endothelium and Kupffer cells. Thus, there is agreement between purine analysis and histochemical findings. The reliability of the histochemical technique was also tested by comparing activities of purine nucleoside phosphorylase (a cytoplasmic enzyme) and pyrmidine nucleoside phosphorylase (a nuclear enzyme) that catalyze similar reactions (nucleoside + inorganic phosphate in equilibrium base + ribose-1-phosphate) but with different base specificites and cellular localization, as indicated by cell fractionation studies. The histochemical results show that in contrast to the purine nucleoside phosphorylase, the pyrmidine specific enzyme was most active in the nuclei of endothelial and Kupffer cells. Thus, the technique discriminates between the two enzymes.