Adenosine deaminase, nucleoside phosphorylase and hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase activity in normal lymphocyte subpopulations.

Adenosine deaminase (ADA), purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP), and hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRT) activities were measured in normal human B lymphocytes, T lymphocytes, and T gamma and T mu lymphocyte subsets. Total ADA activity in T cells was 5.5U, activity in T gamma and T mu cells was 3.7U and 5.3U, respectively; B cell ADA levels were 3.3U. PNP activity in T cells was 119U, activity in T gamma and T mu cells was 75U and 155U, respectively. B cell PNP activity was 88U. HGPRT activity in T cells was 20.9U; T gamma and T mu HGPRT levels were 13.0U and 52U respectively. B cell HGPRT levels were 46.8U. These data provides further evidence for the biochemical heterogeneity of normal human lymphocytes.