HPLC analysis of aromatic amino acids, nucleosides, and bases in plasma of acute lymphocytic leukemia on chemotherapy.

Plasma chromatograms--obtained by the reversed-phase mode of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)--of 19 subjects with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) were compared to those of 19 normal individuals. ALL patients were in remission and on a methotrexate and 6-mercaptopurine maintenance regimen. The concentrations of the aromatic amino acids L-phenylalanine and L-tyrosine, the nucleosides uridine, adenosine, inosine, and guanosine, as well as the bases hypoxanthine and xanthine, were elevated in the leukemic in comparison to the normal chromatograms. Highest inosine levels corresponded to leukemic subjects whose condition severely deteriorated with time. Patients with lower inosine levels are still in continuous remission.