Changes in some nucleoside metabolizing enzymes of lymphocytes and granulocytes from patients with cirrhosis of the liver.

Some purine metabolizing enzymes of lymphocytes and granulocytes were determined in 13 patients with cirrhosis of the liver and in a control group consisting of 18 healthy blood donors. Furthermore cytidine deaminase (EC 3, 5, 4, 5) (CRD) activity was determined in the granulocytes of these patients and in 16 controls. An increase of adenosine deaminase (EC 3, 5, 4, 4) (ADA) activity was found in granulocytes (P less than 0.01) as well as in lymphocytes (P less than 0.01) of the cirrhotic patients as compared to controls. Purine nucleoside phosphorylase (EC 2, 4, 2, 1) (PNP) activity in granulocytes and lymphocytes was identical in the two groups. In lymphocytes of cirrhotic patients decreased hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (EC 2, 4, 2, 8) (HGPRT) (P less than 0.01), adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (EC 2, 4, 2, 7) (APRT) (P less than 0.02) and adenosine kinase activities (EC 2, 7, 1, 20) (AK) (P less than 0.05) were demonstrated. 5'-nucleotidase (5'-N (EC 3, 1, 3, 5) activity in lymphocytes of cirrhotic patients was slightly increased, the increase being correlated to the level of serum gamma globulin. Granulocytes from cirrhotic patients showed a decrease of CRD (P less than 0.05). The finding that ADA activity is increased in mature lymphocytes and granulocytes from cirrhotic patients argues against the possibility that increase of lymphocytes ADA activity is a consequence of malignant transformation or immaturity.