Deoxyadenosine inhibits DNA synthesis in cultured human fibroblasts.

The rate of DNA synthesis in cultured diploid fibroblasts, nonmalignant human cells, is decreased by 50 microM 2'-deoxyadenosine when adenosine deaminase is inhibited and 2'-deoxyadenosine is phosphorylated to dATP. No inhibiton of DNA synthesis occurs with 100 microM adenosine under identical conditions or with 50 microM deoxyadenosine when adenosine deaminase is not blocked. Inhibition of DNA synthesis may be an important link between adenosine deaminase deficiency and severe combined immunodeficiency if the tissue culture model is relevant to lymphocyte function in man.