Autoradiographic Study on the Incorporation of Carbon-14 Labeled Formate and Adenine into Nucleic Acid in Blood-forming Cells

Abstract

The incorporation of [14C] formate and [8-14C]adenine into nucleic acid in blood-forming cells was studied by the autoradiographic technique. The isotopic markers were injected subcutaneously into young rats weighing from 100 to 150 g three times every 24 hours and the animals were examined 3 hours after the last injection. In the case of [14C]formate injection, erythroblasts exhibited extremely strong labeling in contrast to weaker labeling of other blood-forming cells.
In the case of [14C]adenine administration, on the other hand, immature cells of the granuclocytic series as well as immature reticulum cells (proliferating cells of reticular tissue) were much more heavily labeled than were other blood-forming cells, particularly the erythroblasts which revealed weak or no labeling. By digestion or extraction of DNA, RNA or both from cells with DNase, RNase or hot 10%perchloric acid treatment, respectively, it was confirmed that the observed heavy labeling of any type of cells with either [14C]formate or [14C]adenine was due chiefly to incorporation of the radioactive materials into nuclear DNA.
The present results are discussed together with the findings of earlier studies on lymphoid cells which indicate that, in certain cell types, the patterns of [3H]deoxycytidine labeling differ considerably from the corresponding patterns of [3H]deoxycytidine labeling. The present and earlier findings provide evidence to substantiate that, among blood-forming cells, there are considerable variations in the labeling patterns of nuclear DNA depending on differences in the radioactive DNA precursors used as well as in the cell types.