Immunological evidence for the in vivo occurrence of (2'-5')adenylyladenosine oligonucleotides in eukaryotes and prokaryotes.

A monoclonal antibody highly specific for (2'-5')adenylyladenosine oligonucleotides was used together with a 125I-labeled analog of this compound to detect and quantify phosphorylated and nonphosphorylated (2'-5')adenylyladenosine oligonucleotides in a variety of tissues and cells. These oligonucleotides were first assayed as a whole in perchloric acid extracts and then further individually characterized by HPLC analysis. Their sensitivity to alkaline phosphatase, snake venom phosphodiesterase, and T2 RNase was systematically checked. Nonphosphorylated (2'-5')adenylyladenosine oligonucleotides were found in mammalian tissues as well as in yeast and bacteria. In normal mouse brain, lung, heart, pancreas, spleen, kidney, and liver their concentrations ranged from 10 to 200 pmol/g wet weight, depending on tissue and strain. The oligonucleotides were mainly dimers, trimers, tetramers, and pentamers. In addition, phosphorylated (2'-5')adenylyladenosine oligonucleotides were shown in liver and kidney extracts.