Mice were dosed with [3H]2',3'-dideoxyadenosine ([3H]ddA) in three procedures: intravenously, intraperitoneally, and interperitoneally following a dose of 2'-deoxycoformycin (dCF). For mice dosed intravenously, the content of radioactivity in plasma and tissue samples were essentially constant after 30 min. Of the radioactivity in plasma and brain samples collected between 30 min and 24 hr, more than 94% was present as 3H2O, indicating that most of the tritium from [3H]ddA had exchanged with water. No intact ddA was detected, and the deamination product, 2',3'-dideoxyinosine (ddI), was present only transiently. In the urine, the major radioactive material was [3H]ddI. Also detected were 3H2O and small amounts of [3H]hypoxanthine and [3H]ddA. Following intraperitoneal doses to mice, levels of radioactivity in plasma, liver, and kidney increased to a maximum by 15-30 min after dosing but dropped to essentially constant levels thereafter, again indicating that the tritium had exchanged with water. At 5, 15, and 30 min after dosing, ddI was the major radioactive component in plasma. Only small amounts of ddA were present. When dCF was administered 24 hr prior to intraperitoneal [3H]ddA, levels of radioactivity in plasma, liver, and kidney reached a maximum of 30 to 60 min after dosing and decreased to essentially constant levels thereafter. The dCF transiently inhibited the deamination of ddA to ddI, since, in plasma, [3H]ddA was the main radioactive component at 5 and 15 min after dosing. Comparison of HPLC assays based on radioactivity detection and UV absorbance showed that they were equivalent for measuring ddA and ddI in samples derived from dosed mice.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)