Phosphoribosylpyrophosphate (PRPP) synthetase activity and the intracellular concentration of PRPP were assayed in erythrocytes from patients with primary hyperuricemia and primary metabolic gout. Sensitivity of the enzyme to feed-back inhibition by adenosine diphosphate (ADP), guanosine diphosphate (GDP), and 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG) was determined. All patients with gout and four of ten patients with hyperuricemia were taking allopurinol during the study. Mean PRPP synthetase activity in erythrocytes from hyperuricemic and gouty patients was similar to that in normal subjects, and feedback inhibition by ADP, GDP, and 2,3-DPG was intact. The concentration of PRPP in erythrocytes was higher in normal females than in normal males, higher in normal subjects than in gouty patients, and lower in hyperuricemic patients taking allopurinol than in those hyperuricemic patients not taking this drug. The difference in intracellular levels of PRPP in erythrocytes in gout versus hyperuricemic patients was not significant. The significance of these findings is discussed in relation to the regulation of PRPP synthetase and in the important regulatory role of PRPP in purine metabolism. © 1971

Meyskens, FL

Williams, HE

Meyskens, Frank L

Williams, Hibbard E

eScholarship - University of California

Concentration and synthesis of phosphoribosylpyrophosphate in erythrocytes from normal, hyperuricemic, and gouty subjects

UC IrvineUC Irvine Previously Published WorksTitleConcentration and synthesis of phosphoribosylpyrophosphate in erythrocytes from normal, hyperuricemic, and gouty subjectsPermalinkhttps://escholarship.org/uc/item/06m3d8wpJournalMetabolism, 20(8)ISSN0026-0495AuthorsMeyskens, FLWilliams, HEPublication Date1971DOI10.1016/S0026-0495(71)80003-3Copyright InformationThis work is made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution License, availalbe at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Peer reviewedeScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital LibraryUniversity of CaliforniaConcentration and Synthesis of Phosphoribosylpyrophosphate in Erythrocytes From Normal, Hyperuricemic, and Gouty Subjects B y  FRANK L. MEYSKENS AND HIBBARD E. WILLIAMS Phosphoribosylpyrophosphate (PRPP) synthetase activity and the intracellular concentration of PRPP were assayed in erythrocytes from patients with primary hyperuricemia and primary metabolic gout. Sensitivity of the enzyme to feed- back inhibition by adenosine diphosphate (ADP), guanosine diphosphate (GDP), and 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG) was determined. All patients with gout and four of ten patients with hyperuric- emia were taking ailopurinol during the study. Mean PRPP synthetase activity in erythrocytes from hyperuricemic and gouty patients was similar to that in nor- mal subjects, and feedback inhibition by ADP, GDP, and 2,3-DPG was intact. The concentration of PRPP in erythrocytes was higher in normal females than in normal males, higher in normal subjects than in gouty patients, and lower in hy- peruricemic patients taking allopurinol than in those hyperuricemic patients not taking this drug. The difference in intra- cellular levels of PRPP in erythrocytes in gout versus hyperuricemic patients was not significant. The significance of these findings is discussed in relation to the regulation of PRPP synthetase and in the important regulatory role of PRPP in purine metabolism. T HE I N T R A C E L L U L A R  CONCENTR A TIO N  of 5-phosphoribosyl-1- pyrophosphate (PRPP)  appears to be important in the regulation of purine metabolism. 1-4 Altered intracellular levels of PRPP have been reported in individuals with absence of the enzyme hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribo- syltransferase (HGPRTase)  2,~ and in individuals with primary metabolic gout with normal HGPRTase  levels. 2,6 Recently depletion of erythrocyte PRPP levels have been reported in hyperuricemic subjects given allopurinol, r Because ab- normal biosynthesis of PRPP might contribute to the pathogenesis of some cases of primary metabolic gout, the intracellular concentration of PRPP and the synthesis of PRPP and its regulation by feedback inhibition were studied in erythrocytes from normal subjects, patients with primary hyperuricemia, and patients with primary metabolic gout. MATERIALS AND METHODS Ten patients were considered to have primary hyperuricemia (mean age 49 yr) based on From the Medical Services, San Francisco General Hospital, and the Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, Calif. Received for publication January 28, 1971. Supported by USPHS Grant AM-13672. FRANK L. MEYSKENS, B.S.: Third Year Medical Student, University of California, San Francisco, Calif. HIBBARD E. WILLIAMS, M.D.: Chief of Medical Services, San Francisco General Hospital; Associate Professor of Medicine, University of California School of Medicine, San Francisco, Call[. METABOLISM, VOL. 20, No. 8 (AuGvST), 1971 737 738 MEYSKENS AND WILLIAMS serum uric acid concentrations (7.0-9.5 rag/100 ml) in the upper 2% of the population, normal creatinine clearance values, and no clinical evidence of gout, hematologic abnormali- ties, or malignant disease. Seven patients with primary metabolic gout (mean age 52 yr) had hyperuricemia of unknown origin and either a clinical history of gout or evidence of sub- cutaneous tophaceous deposits. Uric acid levels in the gouty patients ranged from 7.2-11.5 rag/100 ml. Overproduction of uric acid was not established in these patients. Four of ten hyperuricemic patients and all gouty subjects were receiving allopurinol (dose range 100-400 mg/day) during the study. The control group consisted of ten volunteers (mean age 28 yr) with serum uric acid concentrations within the normal range (3-6.0 mg/100 ml). All subjects had normal erythrocyte HGPRTase levels. Nonfasting blood samples were drawn by venipuncture into heparinized tubes and chilled (4~ immediately. The activity of PRPP synthetase was determined by the two-step pro- cedure o~ Hershko et al., using a charcoal-treated erythrocyte hemolysate in all assays. 1 Inhibition of PRPP synthetase by adenosine diphosphate (ADP), guanosine diphosphate (GDP), and 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG) was determined by addition of these com- pounds to the reaction mixture at concentrations of 0.125, 0.125, and 5.0 mM, respectively. Inorganic phosphate (Pi) was maintained at a concentration of 5 mM, and an ATP- regenerating system was used in all assays. The formation of PRPP was found to be linear to enzyme concentration and time at the concentrations of ATP, Pi, and ribose-5- phosphate used. The concentration of PRPP was assayed by the method of Henderson and Khoo,S using bypoxanthine as substrate. This method is based on the observation that the concentration of PRPP is limiting in the conversion of hypoxanthine to inosinic acid by HGPRTase.  Heparinized blood, chilled (4~ immediately and washed twice with two volmnes of 0.9% saline, was centrifuged at 10,000 g for 15 rain. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), 1.0 ml of 1 raM, was added to 1.0 ml of the packed ery-throcytes. The EDTA-stabilized mixture was then heated for 90 sec in boiling water and chilled (4~ immediately. 10% Norit A charcoal, 0.10 ml, was added to adsorb endogenous nucleotides. After mixing, the charcoal was deposited by centrifugation at 10,000 g for 10 min. Aliquots of the supernatant were assayed for PRPP using a dialyzed erythrocyte hemolysate with an HGPRTase activity of 100 m/tmoles/hr per mg protein. The HGPRTase activity was de- termined by the method of Kelley et al. 9 Radioactive hypoxanthine, inosine, and inosinic acid were separated by high voltage electrophoresis with a Savant Electrophorator (0.05 M borate buffer, pH 9.0, 3,000 V for 1 hr). Protein was determined by the method of Lowry et al. 10 Reduced glutathione (GSH), adenosine triphospbate (ATP), ribose-5-phosphate (R5P), ADP, GDP, 2,3-DPG, phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP), and pyruvate kinase (PK) were pur- chased from Sigma Biochemical Co. Hypoxanthine-8-C14 (54.3 mCi/mmole) was purchased from New England Nuclear Corp. as the crystalline solid and was dissolved in distilled water prior to use to give a final concentration of 10/~Ci/ml. RESULTS The  intracellular concentra t ion of erythrocyte  P R P P  varied among  the dif- ferent  groups studied (Table  1) .  Norma l  subjects had  a mean  level of 3.03 • Table 1.--Concentration of PRPP in Ea'ythrocyles of. Normal Subjects and Hyperuricemic and Gouty Patients Erythrocyte PRPP Concentration* (m#moles/ml Packed Erythrocytes) Sex Normal Subjects Hyperuricemic Patients Gouty Patients Female 3.29 • 0.47 (5) 3.15 _+ 0.31 (3) 2.92 (1) Male 2.77 • 0.17 (5) 3.30 _ 0.55 (7) 2.26 - 0.40 (6) Mean 3.03 • 0.32 (10) 3.22 • 0.38 (10) 2.33 _ 0.39 (7) * Mean _ SD; numbers in parentheses are number of subjects. PRPP CONCENTRATION AND SYNTHESIS 739 Table 2.--PRPP Synthetase Activity in Erythrocyte Lysates and % Inhibition of Synthetase in Presence of ADP, GDP, and 2,3-DPG Synthetase Activity* % Synthetase Inhibition Subjects (m/xmoles/hr/mg protein) 0.125 rnM ADP 0.125 mM GDP 5.0 mM 2,3-DPG Normal 32.0 _ 5.3 72 64 80 Hyperuricemic 32.7 _ 5.9 70 74 85 Gouty 34.1 ___ 6.1 64 75 76 * Mean +_ SD. 0.32, hyperuricemic patients, 3.22 ----_ 0.38, and gouty patients, 2.33 • 0.39 m~moles/ml packed erythrocytes. The difference in the concentration of PRPP in both the hyperuricemic and normal subjects compared with the levels of PRPP in gouty patients was significant at p < 0.05 (Student's t test). Normal female subjects had a higher level of erythrocyte PRPP than the normal males [3.29 4- 0.47 versus 2.77 --4- 0.17 m~moles/ml packed erythrocytes (p < 0.05)]. The mean erythrocyte PRPP level in the four hyperuricemic patients receiving allopurinol was 2.94 4- 0.29, compared with 3.47 _ 0.30 m~moles/ml packed erythrocytes in the six patients not taking the drug (p < 0.05). The effect of diet on PRPP levels was not determined in this study, although administration of large doses of both purines and pyrimidines have been shown to effect intra- cellular PRPP levels. 3,4 The activity of PRPP synthetase in erythrocyte hemolysates from normal, hyperuricemic, and gouty subjects was 32.0 4- 5.3, 32.7 4- 5.9, and 34.7 4- 6.1 m~moles/hr per mg protein, respectively. Inhibition of PRPP synthetase by ADP, GDP, and 2,3-DPG was similar in all three groups (Table 2). No correlation could be demonstrated between the concentration of erythro- cyte PRPP and the activity of PRPP synthetase. DISCUSSION Recent studies clearly demonstrate a partial deficiency of the enzyme HGPRTase in a small percentage of patients with primary metabolic gout. 9 In two patients evidence exists for an increase in uric acid production secondary to decreased feedback inhibition of the enzyme PRPP amidotransferase. 4 How- ever, the basic pathogenetic mechanisms operative in most cases of gout and hyperuricemia secondary to increased production of uric acid remain obscure. Recently, emphasis has been placed on the intracellular concentration of PRPP as an important factor controlling the production of uric acidY ,12 This com- pound is utilized at several sites in the synthetic pathways of purines and nucleotides (Fig. 1). An increase in PRPP synthesis leading to increased intra- cellular levels of this compound might result in increased production of purines. This is supported by the observation that intracellular levels of PRPP are well below the reported Km of this compound for the enzyme PRPP amidotransferase, the rate-limiting reaction in the de novo pathway for purine synthesis, la-~6 The normal activity of PRPP synthetase observed in erythrocytes from hyper- uricemic and gouty patients suggests that the overproduction of uric acid in these patients is not due to an increase in PRPP formation secondary to an abnormality in this enzyme. Likewise, normal inhibition of erythrocyte PRPP 740 Inhibition by ADP,GDP,2,3.DGP MEYSKENS AND WILLIAMS ATP + R-5-P ~ o ~  OMP synthetase - -  ~ : :  se 5 bP:s: hm~ne Mo++ " I P R P P I .  ' a  ~ "" p " other pathways nucleohde Fig 1.--Factors controlling intracellular PRPP concentration. synthetase by ADP, GDP, and 2,3-DPG suggests further that an increase in PRPP could not be afforded by this route. These studies do not rule out a defect in PRPP synthesis in other organs, since it was not possible to determine the activity of PRPP synthetase in other tissues from these subjects. There are no data at present to suggest that this enzyme exists in isozymic forms, and the inhibition studies tend to confirm the similarity between the erythrocyte enzyme and that in other tissuesY q9 The de novo synthesis of PRPP is controlled by the enzyme PRPP synthetase. Although studies of this enzyme are few, 1z-~9 the following characteristics have been noted: ATP and R5P are substrates, high levels of Pi and divalent cation (Mg ++ or Mn ++) are required, and a wide range of nucleotides inhibit the enzyme. Hershko et al. recently delineated the important role of P~ in human erythrocytes as a regulating factor in the expression of feedback inhibition and as an obligatory requirement before R5P levels become critical in the regulation of PRPP synthetase. 1 The lack of correlation between PRPP levels and PRPP synthetase activity in the normal, hyperuricemic, and gouty subjects emphasizes the multitude of factors influencing intracellular PRPP concentrations (Fig. 1). An alteration in the hexose monophosphate shunt could provide excess R5P. An increased supply of R5P has been postulated to be a contributing factor in the hyper- uricemia associated with glycogen storage disease, type I. ~4 Hershko et al. noted an increased rate of formation of PRPP secondary to an elevated endogenous supply of R5P in some patients with gout. 2~ An increase in ribonucleoside break- down might provide excess R5P and might also increase purine catabolism. One study suggested that an alteration in glutathione reductase may be important in the pathogenesis of some cases of gout. 21 The levels of PRPP measured in erythrocytes agree well with those reported in other studies. 2,7 Although PRPP concentrations in erythrocytes from primary gout patients with normal HGPRTase levels were decreased, other authors found PRPP concentrations in cultured skin fibroblasts of some gout patients were elevated when compared with the values for normal subjects2 ,6 This difference PRPP CONCENTRATION AND SYNTHESIS 741 could be due to either the presence of a de novo pathway for purine synthesis in fibroblasts, or to an effect of allopurinol in the gouty and hyperuricemic pa- tients. The decreased levels of PRPP in erythrocytes in the gouty patients and in those hyperuricemic subjects taking allopurinol strongly suggest an effect of allopurinol on PRPP levels. Because all of the gouty subjects studied were taking allopurinol it is possible that the drug masked an abnormally elevated level of PRPP in this group. Preliminary investigation reveals that 1 mM allo- purinol in vitro does not inhibit PRPP synthetase activity in charcoal-treated erythrocyte lysates. Recently Fox et al. 7 demonstrated a significant depletion of erythrocyte PRPP levels in nine hyperuricemic patients given allopurinol. In this study no difference in erythrocyte PRPP concentration was found between hyperuricemic patients and normouricemic control subjects before allopurinol administration. These investigators also demonstrated a lowering of erythrocyte PRPP levels by allo- purinol when studied in vitro. In addition studies in vitro using erythrocyte lysates lacking HGPRTase activity indicated that neither allopurinol nor its ribonucleotide had an effect on PRPP synthesis. Although an alteration in PRPP synthetase activity in all subjects was not detected, the central role of PRPP in purine metabolism suggests that any alteration leading to the overproduction of PRPP might lead to overproduction of uric acid. The detection of an individual with an alteration in the metabolism of PRPP might greatly hasten and enhance the study of the regulation of PRPP and the elucidation of its role in purine metabolism. ACKNOWLEDGMENT The authors thank Dr. Jeffrey Fessel and Dr. Benedict Budai of the Kaiser-Permanente Foundation Hospital, San Francisco, for allowing us to study their patients with hyper- uricemia and gout; and Dr. Charles Epstein of the University of California, San Francisco, for the use of the Savant Electrophorator. REFERENCES 1. Hershko, A., Razin, A., and Mager, J.: Regulation of the synthesis of 5-phosphori- bosyl-l-pyrophosphate in intact red blood cells and in cell-free preparations. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 184:64, 1969. 2. Greene, M. L., and Seegmiller, J. E.: Erythrocyte 5-phosphoribosyl- 1-pyrophos- phate (PRPP) in gout: importance of PRPP in regulation of human purine synthesis. Arthritis Rheum. 12:666, 1969. 3. Kelley, W. N., Greene, M. L., Rosen- bloom, F. M., Wyngaarden, J. B., and Seeg- miller, J. E.: Effects of orotic acid on purine biosynthesis in vivo and in vitro. Arthritis Rheum. 12:673, 1969. 4. --,  Fox, I. H., and Wyngaarden, J. B.: Essential role of phosphoribosylpyrophos- phate (PRPP) in regulation of purine bio- synthesis in cultured human fibroblasts. Clin. Res. 18:457, 1970. 5. Rosenbloom, F. M., Henderson, J. F., Caldwell, I. C., Kelley, W. N., and Seeg- miller, J. E.: Biochemical bases of acceler- ated purine biosynthesis de n o v o  in human fibroblasts lacking hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase. J. Biol. Chem. 243 : 1166, 1968. 6. Henderson, J. F., Rosenbloom, F. M., Kelley, W. N., and Seegmiller, J. E.: Varia- tions in purine metabolism of cultured skin fibroblasts from patients with gout. J. Clin. Invest. 47:1511, 1968. 7. Fox, I. H., Wyngaarden, J. B., and Kelley, W. N.: Depletion of erythrocyte phosphoribosylpyrophosphate in man, A newly observed effect of allopurinol. New. Eng. J. Med. 283:1177, 1970. 8. Henderson, J. F., and Khoo, M. K. Y.: Synthesis of 5-phosphoribosyl-l-pyrophos- phate from glucose in Ehrlich ascites tumor 742 MEYSKENS AND WILLIAMS cells in vitro. J. Biol. Chem. 240:2349, 1965. 9. Kelley, W. N., Rosenbloom, F. M., Henderson, J. F., and Seegmiller, Jr. E.: A specific enzyme defect in gout associated with overproduction of uric acid. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. (USA) 57:1735, 1967. 10. Lowry, O. H., Rosebrough, N. J., Farr, A.  L., and Randall, R. Jr.: Protein measure- ment with the folin phenol reagent. J. Biol. Chem. 193:265, 1951. 11. Seegmiller, J. E.: Diseases of purine and pyrimidine metabolism, In Bondy, P. K., and Rosenberg, L. E. (Eds.): Duncan's Dis- eases of Metabolism, Vol. I (ed. 6). Phila- delphia, W. B. Saunders, 1969, p. 576. 12. Rajalakshmi, S., and Handschumacher, R. E.: Control of purine biosynthesis de novo by orotic acid in vivo and in vitro. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 155:317, 1968. 13. Wyngaarden, J. B., and Ashton, D. M.: The regulation of activity of phosphoribosyl- pyrophosphate amidotransferase by purine ribonucleotides: A potential feedback con- trol of purine biosynthesis. Jr. Biol. Chem. 234:1492, 1959. 14. Henderson, J. F., and Khoo, M. K. Y.: On the mechanism of feedback inhibition of pnrine biosynthesis de novo in Ehrlich as- cites tumor cells in vitro. J. Biol. Chem. 240: 3104, 1965. 15. Nierlich, D. P., and Magasanik, B.: Regulation of purine ribonucleotide synthesis by end product inhibition: The effect of adenine and guanine ribonucleotides on the 5'-phosphoribosylpyrophosphate amidotrans- ferase of Aerobacter aerogenes. J. Biol. Chem. 240:358, 1965. 16. Hill, D. L., and Bennett, L. L., Jr.: Purification and properties of 5-phosphori- bosyl pyrophosphate amidotransferase from adenocarcinoma 755 cells. Biochemistry (Wash.) 8:122, 1969. 17. Atkinson, D. E., and Fall, L.: Adeno- sine triphosphate conservation in biosynthetic regulation: Escherichia coli phosphoribosyl- pyrophosphate synthase. J. Biol. Chem. 242: 3241, 1967. 18. Wong, P. C. L., and Murray, A. W.: 5-Phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate synthetase from Ehrlich ascites tumor cells. Biochem- istry (Wash.) 8:1608, 1969. 19. Switzer, R. L.: Regulation and me- chanism of phosphoribosylpyrophosphate synthetase: I. Purification and properties of the enzyme from Salmonella typhimurium. J. Biol. Chem. 244:2854, 1969. 20. Hershko, A., Hershko, C., and Mager, J.: Increased formation of 5-phosphoribosyl- 1-pyrophosphate in red blood cells of some gouty patients. Israel J. Med. Sci. 4:939, 1968. 21. Long, W. K.: Glutathione reductase in red blood cells: variant associated with gout. Science 155:712, 1967. 

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Concentration and synthesis of phosphoribosylpyrophosphate in erythrocytes from normal, hyperuricemic, and gouty subjects.

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