Circulating Nucleotides in Health and Disease

Abstract

The concentration of adenosine nucleotides (ATP&ADP) in the circulation may impact health and disease by controlling cellular metabolic pathways in tissues throughout the body. Fasting plasma nucleotide levels are normally relatively low in healthy subjects, but can increase by orders of magnitude in disease. High circulating nucleotide levels promote chronic purinergic signaling, which may disrupt the normal cellular metabolism in the body and initiate immune and inflammatory consequences. Strategies to control nucleotide levels in the bloodstream may therefore have therapeutic importance to halt the progression of metabolic disorders.