The Depressive Effect of Adenine on Degradation of Adenine Nucleotides in X-irradiated Rat Thymocytes

SummaryAddition of 5 mM adenine to 1 kR-irradiated rat thymocytes restored the ATP-content to normal level. Mechanisms underlying the restoration were investigated by using 14C-adenine and 32P-orthophosphate. 14C-adenine was incorporated into ATP and the ATP thus labelled degraded to hypoxanthine. Adenine in 5 mM concentration did not enhance the ATP synthesis from 14C-adenine, but depressed markedly the degradation of ATP to hypoxanthine. It was concluded that restoration of ATP level by adenine resulted from its depressive effect on degradation of adenine nucleotides.