Effect of an adenosine deaminase inhibitor on the uptake and metabolism of arabinosyl adenine (Vidarabine) by intact human erythrocytes.

Tritium-labeled vidarabine was incubated with fresh citrated human blood in the absence and presence of an adenosine deaminase inhibitor, co-vidarabine was rapidly deaminated to form ara-Hx with minimal incorporation into the erythrocytes. Ara-HxMP was identified as the major component in the erythrocytic nucleotide pool, together with small amounts of IMP, adenosine nucleotides and traces of arabinosyl nucleotides. Addition of the inhibitor completely protected vidarabine from enzymatic deamination and resulted in much greater accumulation of vidarabine 5'-mono-, di-, and triphosphates in the erythrocytes.