[Methylxanthines and phosphorylation of the constituents of the membrane of the human red blood cell].

Methylxanthines are phosphodiesterase inhibitors and are therefore capable of increasing cyclic AMP levels, thereby stimulating cyclic nucleotide-dependent protein kinases. The direct action of several xanthine derivatives on enzyme-dependent phosphorylations involving red blood cell membrane proteins was studied in vitro. Pentoxifylline and caffeine exhibited no effect on the activity of the membrane cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Conversely, methylxanthines proved capable on inhibiting cyclic nucleotide-independent protein kinases present in the membrane and cytosol. This inhibition involves competition with ATP. Comparison of the inhibitory effect of two xanthine derivatives, ie propentofylline and pentoxifylline, demonstrated significant differences. Xanthine derivatives showed no activity on red blood cell tyrosine kinase. Furthermore, three xanthines, ie caffeine, pentoxifylline and propentofylline, inhibited phosphatidylinositol kinase.