Analysis by high-pressure liquid chromatography of 9-beta-D-arabinofuranosyladenine 5'-triphosphate levels in murine leukemia cells.

The metabolism of 9-beta-D-arabinofuranosyladenine (AraA) to arabinofuranosyladenine 5'-triphosphate (AraATP), an inhibitor of DNA synthesis, in mouse leukemia cells was examined by means of high-pressure liquid chromatography. AraATP was separated from naturally occurring nucleotides in acid-soluble extracts and quantitative measurements of AraATP levels were made. A potent inhibitor of adenosine deaminase (2'-deoxycoformycin; co-vidarabine), when used in combination with AraA in the treatment of leukemia-bearing mice, increased the formation of AraATP in mouse leukemia cells four- to five-fold over that obtained by treatment with AraA alone. By means of high-pressure liquid chromatography the half-life of AraATP in tumor cells could be measured. Results of such studies may be of value in planning chemotherapy regimens.