An enzymatic method for the measurement of nicotinamide mononucleotide pyrophosphorylase in cells and tissues.

A simple enzymatic method is described for the measurement of NMN pyrophosphorylase in tissue homogenates at levels as low as 10(-12) to 10(-9) mol. The product, nicotinamide mononucleotide, is converted to NAD using NAD pyrophosphorylase and the NAD is quantified in an enzymatic cycling assay. The enzyme described here is stimulated more at low concentrations of Mn2+ than Mg2+. ATP is not required for NMN pyrophosphorylase activity; the reaction is neither stimulated nor inhibited by ATP concentrations as high as 3 mM. The enzyme is totally dependent on phosphoribosylpyrophosphate. The method is highly reproducible in all tissues examined. Various cell lines and tissues from mouse were analyzed for NMN pyrophosphorylase.