Positive correlation between adenosine deaminase activity and superoxide formation during phagocytosis.

Phagocytosis and membrane perturbation in mouse macrophages results in an increased superoxide ion production which is in direct proportion to the concomitant increase in adenosine deaminase activity. Since adenosine deaminase activity controls the amount of substrate available to xanthine oxidase, and the latter produces superoxide during turnover of its substrates, it is proposed that the purine salvage pathway is an important source of the superoxide requirement of macrophages. It is further proposed that this may be the basis, at least in part, for the mechanism of the association of immunodeficiency with adenosine deaminase deficiency.