Popis: |
The study of the involvement of purines in lymphocyte function has been highlighted by two dramatic and unrelated discoveries. The first, the discovery in 1958 that 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) had marked immunosuppressive properties (Schwartz et al. 1958), was followed by the wide use of its S-substituted analog, azathioprine (Aza), to prevent rejection of kidney transplants (Murray et al. 1967). The second, the discovery by Giblett that deficiencies in either of two enzymes of the purine catabolic pathway, adenosine deaminase (ADA) (Giblett et al. 1972) or purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) (Giblett et al. 1975), were associated with immunodeficiency disease, led to many studies involving purine metabolism in lymphocytes as well as the modulation of lymphocyte function by purines. |