N6-Cyclopropyl-PMEDAP (cPr-PMEDAP) is a novel derivative of the acyclic nucleoside phosphonate 9-(2-phosphonylmethoxyethyl)-2,6-diaminopurine (PMEDAP). Its cytostatic activity was found to be 8- to 20-fold more pronounced than that of PMEDAP and equivalent to that of the guanine derivative 9-(2-phosphonylmethoxyethyl)guanine (PMEG) against a variety of tumor cell lines. Unlike PMEDAP, but like PMEG, cPr-PMEDAP was equally cytostatic to wild-type and 9-(2-phosphonylmethoxyethyl)adenine/PMEDAP-resistant variants of the human erythroleukemia K562 and the murine leukemia L1210 cell lines. Also, cPr-PMEDAP and PMEG proved to be equipotent inducers of K562 and rat choriocarcinoma RCHO cell differentiation, whereas the differentiation-inducing activity of PMEDAP was 5- to 25-fold less pronounced. Furthermore, compared to PMEDAP, cPr-PMEDAP and PMEG were 10- to 25-fold more potent in inhibiting the progression of K562 cells through the S phase of the cell cycle, resulting in a marked accumulation of the four 2'-deoxyribonucleoside 5'-triphosphate pools. The biological effects of cPr-PMEDAP, but not PMEDAP, were reversed by the adenylate deaminase inhibitor 2'-deoxycoformycin (dCF). Formation of the deaminated derivative of cPr-PMEDAP (i.e. PMEG) was demonstrated in crude extracts from K562 and L1210 cells and in metabolism studies with radiolabeled cPr-PMEDAP and PMEG. This is the very first example of an acyclic nucleoside phosphonate analogue that is susceptible to deamination. However, cPr-PMEDAP was not recognized as a substrate by purified adenosine deaminase or by adenylate deaminase. These findings might point to an as yet unidentified cellular enzyme, sensitive to dCF but different from the common adenosine and AMP deaminases. Our data demonstrate the superior antiproliferative and differentiation-inducing effects of cPr-PMEDAP on tumor cells, as compared to the parent compound PMEDAP, based on the unique metabolic properties of this novel compound.