Increased rate of de novo purine synthesis and its mechanism in regenerating rat liver.

In regenerating rat liver at 12 h after a 70% hepatectomy, [14C]glycine incorporation to hepatic acid-soluble purines increased by 2.4-fold with a 26% increase of the mean rapidly miscible glycine pool size and its comparable turnover rate. Amidophosphoribosyltransferase (EC 2.4.2.14, ATase) activity increased 1.8-fold at 18 h and 5-phosphoribosyl-1-pyrophosphate (PRPP) concentration increased 3.0-fold at 12 h after surgery. Decreases in ATP and GTP concentrations of 13 and 15%, respectively, in regenerating rat liver at 12 h after surgery were counterbalanced by increased AMP and GMP concentrations of 13 and 44%, respectively, with comparable inhibitory potentials on ATase. These results suggest than an increased rate of de novo purine synthesis in regenerating rat liver is mediated by the increased ATase activity and PRPP concentrations.