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PubMed2003

Polyamines are required for activation of c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase and apoptosis in response to TNF-alpha in IEC-6 cells.

Intracellular polyamine homeostasis is important for the regulation of cell proliferation and apoptosis and is necessary for the balanced growth of cells and tissues. Polyamines have been shown to play a role in the regulation of apoptosis in many cell types, including IEC-6 cells, but the mechanism is not clear. In this study, we analyzed the mechanism by which polyamines regulate the process of apoptosis in response to tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). TNF-alpha or cycloheximide (CHX) alone did not induce apoptosis in IEC-6 cells. Significant apoptosis was observed when CHX was given along with TNF-alpha, as indicated by a significant increase in the detachment of cells, caspase-3 activity, and DNA fragmentation. Polyamine depletion by treatment with alpha-difluoromethylornithine significantly reduced the level of apoptosis, as judged by DNA fragmentation and the caspase-3 activity of attached cells. Apoptosis in IEC-6 cells was accompanied by the activation of upstream caspases-6, -8, and -9 and NH2-terminal c-Jun kinase (JNK). Inhibition of JNK activation prevented caspase-9 activation. Polyamine depletion prevented the activation of JNK and of caspases-6, -8, -9, and -3. SP-600125, a specific inhibitor of JNK activation, prevented cytochrome c release from mitochondria, JNK activation, DNA fragmentation, and caspase-9 activation in response to TNF-alpha/CHX. In conclusion, we have shown that polyamine depletion delays and decreases TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis in IEC-6 cells and that apoptosis is accompanied by the release of cytochrome c, the activation of JNK, and of upstream caspases as well as caspase-3. Polyamine depletion prevented JNK activation, which may confer protection against apoptosis by modulation of upstream caspase-9 activation.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Prevention of TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis in polyamine-depleted IEC-6 cells is mediated through the activation of ERK1/2.

It has been documented that polyamines play a critical role in the regulation of apoptosis in intestinal epithelial cells. We have recently reported that protection from TNF-alpha/cycloheximide (CHX)-induced apoptosis in epithelial cells depleted of polyamines is mediated through the inactivation of a proapoptotic mediator, JNK. In this study, we addressed the involvement of the MAPK pathway in the regulation of apoptosis after polyamine depletion of IEC-6 cells. Polyamine depletion by alpha-difluromethylornithine (DFMO) resulted in the sustained activation of ERK in response to TNF-alpha/CHX treatment. Pretreatment of polyamine-depleted IEC-6 cells with a cell membrane-permeable MEK1/2 inhibitor, U-0126, significantly inhibited TNF-alpha/CHX-induced ERK phosphorylation and significantly increased DNA fragmentation, JNK activity, and caspase-3 activity in response to TNF-alpha/CHX. Moreover, the dose dependency of U-0126-mediated inhibition of TNF-alpha/ CHX-induced ERK phosphorylation correlated with the reversal of the antiapoptotic effect of DFMO. IEC-6 cells expressing constitutively active MEK1 had decreased TNF-alpha/CHX-induced JNK phosphorylation and were significantly protected from apoptosis. Conversely, a dominant-negative MEK1 resulted in high basal activation of JNK, cytochrome c release, and spontaneous apoptosis. Polyamine depletion of the dominant-negative MEK1 cells did not prevent JNK activation or cytochrome c release and failed to confer protection from both TNF-alpha/CHX and camptothecin-induced apoptosis. Finally, expression of a dominant-negative mutant of JNK significantly protected IEC-6 cells from TNF-alpha/CHX-induced apoptosis. These data indicate that polyamine depletion results in the activation of ERK, which inhibits JNK activation and protects cells from apoptosis.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Pentagastrin induction of spermine/spermidine N1-acetyltransferase and mucosal polyamines.

The trophic response of the gastrointestinal mucosa to treatment with the hormone gastrin includes a polyamine-dependent step. Because gastrin does not induce ornithine decarboxylase, experiments were designed to determine whether pentagastrin induced the polyamine interconverting enzyme, spermine/spermidine N1-acetyltransferase (SAT). Eight hours after intraperitoneal treatment of rats with either spermidine (0.8 mmol/kg) or pentagastrin (250 micrograms/kg) oxyntic gland mucosal SAT activity was increased from roughly 400 to 800 pmol [14C]acetate.mg protein-1.h-1. In contrast, colonic mucosa was not sensitive to pentagastrin even though spermidine treatment induced nearly a 400% increase in SAT activity. Measurement of both oxyntic gland and colonic mucosal polyamine concentrations showed that by 16 h after pentagastrin (250 micrograms/kg ip) putrescine, acetylspermidine, and spermidine levels all were increased to a level approximately 200% of that observed in NaCl-treated rats. By 24 h mucosal polyamine content of pentagastrin-treated rats was not different from control. Essentially the same results were found in animals treated with difluoromethylornithine, thus demonstrating that the increase in mucosal polyamine concentration was not related to the induction of ornithine decarboxylase. The results of these experiments demonstrate that unlike most hormones, the hormone gastrin induces the polyamine converting enzyme, SAT, rather than ornithine decarboxylase during stimulation of polyamine-dependent cell growth and/or division.

Acetyltransferases↗
PubMed1990

Gastrointestinal luminal polyamines: cellular accumulation and enterohepatic circulation.

The concentration of polyamines contained in the lumen of the gut was quantified. The duodenum and jejunum of the rat contained 2-3 mM putrescine and 1-2 mM cadaverine, whereas in the ileum and colon the concentration of these polyamines was significantly less. In addition, the concentrations of spermine and spermidine in the intestinal lumen were low to undetectable. Putrescine in the lumen of the gut was over 90% free with only 10% or less bound to protein. The activity of the enzymes responsible for the synthesis of polyamines was also measured. In contrast to concentration, enzyme activity was found to be high in the ileum, cecum, and colon and nonexistent in the duodenal and jejunal lumen. This suggested the potential for enterohepatic circulation of polyamines that were synthesized by the colonic microflora and transported to the proximal gut via the portal circulation and biliary tree. Indeed, when [14C]putrescine was instilled into the lumen of the gut, it was secreted in pancreaticobiliary secretions. Upper and lower jejunum and colon all supported enterohepatic circulation of polyamines, whereas it was absent in the ileum. Polyamine accumulation in IEC-6 cells grown under in vitro conditions was also measured. Putrescine was transported under time- and temperature-dependent but sodium-independent conditions. The transporter displayed little selectivity for the various polyamines and compounds with related structures but did not recognize amino acids. The Michaelis constant for putrescine accumulation was 1.26 x 10(-6) M with a maximal velocity of the enzyme reaction of 5,184 pmol putrescine.mg protein-1.h-1.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1991

Role of polyamines in gastrointestinal mucosal growth.

The polyamines have been under active investigation for nearly three decades. There is a great deal of evidence that they play an important role in gastrointestinal mucosal growth, but the mechanisms through which this role is carried out are still not fully explained. This review examines the role of the polyamines in the regulation of mucosal growth, the control of intracellular polyamine levels, the biosynthesis of the polyamines, and some known mechanisms of their action. Finally, we propose a model of polyamine action that reconciles the effects of various trophic agents and situations in which growth is stimulated along with concomitant changes in polyamine levels. It accounts for both humoral and gradient-oriented features of various adaptive responses of the gastrointestinal mucosa and is intended to provide a framework for the future investigation of the role of the polyamines in this tissue.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Polyamines alter intestinal glucose transport.

Polyamines are required for the growth of all eukaryotic cells. Enterocytes respond to luminal nutrients with large increases in polyamine synthesis, even though they are mature, nonproliferating cells. The role of polyamines in these cells is unknown. The current experiments examined whether polyamines affected intestinal transport of glucose, since absorption is the primary activity of enterocytes and since polyamines are known to affect membrane function and stability. Glucose transport was examined in rabbit brush-border membrane vesicles (BBMV). BBMV from rabbits given 5% alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) in their drinking water 24 h before they were killed transported significantly less glucose than control vesicles [38% decrease in maximal transport rate (Jmax)]. Orogastric administration of spermine, spermidine, or putrescine to DFMO-treated animals 24 h before they were killed prevented the decrease. In rabbits receiving only orogastric spermine, glucose transport was significantly increased (64% increase in Jmax), whereas in vivo spermidine and putrescine decreased Jmax. This increase in Jmax caused by in vivo administration of spermine was not dependent on protein synthesis. Addition of polyamines whether in vivo or in vitro decreased Michaelis constant in vesicles from control and DFMO-treated animals. The change in glucose transport induced by DFMO or polyamines was not related to altered membrane lipid composition or fluidity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Polyamines are necessary for normal expression of the transforming growth factor-beta gene during cell migration.

The current study tests the hypothesis that intracellular polyamines are involved in the regulation of gene expression of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) during epithelial cell migration after wounding. Administration of alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), a specific inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase (the first rate-limiting enzyme for polyamine synthesis), depleted cellular polyamines putrescine, spermidine, and spermine in IEC-6 cells. DFMO also significantly reduced basal levels of TGF-beta mRNA in unwounded cells. Gene expression of TGF-beta was dramatically stimulated after wounding of a monolayer of cells not treated with DFMO. TGF-beta mRNA levels significantly increased from 4 to 12 h after wounding, peaking at 6 h at a level eight times the prewounding control. Increased levels of TGF-beta mRNA in IEC-6 cells after wounding were paralleled by an increase in TGF-beta content. Depletion of intracellular polyamines in DFMO-treated cells significantly inhibited increased expression of the TGF-beta gene in response to wounding. Cell migration also significantly decreased in DFMO-treated cells. In the presence of DFMO, exogenous TGF-beta restored cell migration to normal. These results indicate that 1) polyamine depletion induced by DFMO is associated with decreases in the expression of the TGF-beta gene and cell migration in IEC-6 cells and 2) exogenous TGF-beta reverses the inhibitory effect of polyamine depletion on cell migration. These findings suggest that polyamines are required for epithelial cell migration in association with their ability to regulate TGF-beta gene expression.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Cellular disposition of transported polyamines in hypoxic rat lung and pulmonary arteries.

The polyamines putrescine, spermidine (SPD), and spermine are a family of low-molecular-weight organic cations essential for cell growth and differentiation and other aspects of signal transduction. Hypoxic pulmonary vascular remodeling is accompanied by depressed lung polyamine synthesis and markedly augmented polyamine uptake. Cell types in which hypoxia induces polyamine transport in intact lung have not been delineated. Accordingly, rat lung and rat main pulmonary arterial explants were incubated with [(14)C]SPD in either normoxic (21% O(2)) or hypoxic (2% O(2)) environments for 24 h. Autoradiographic evaluation confirmed previous studies showing that, in normoxia, alveolar epithelial cells are dominant sites of polyamine uptake. In contrast, hypoxia was accompanied by prominent localization of [(14)C]SPD in conduit, muscularized, and partially muscularized pulmonary arteries, which was not evident in normoxic lung tissue. Hypoxic main pulmonary arterial explants also exhibited substantial increases in [(14)C]SPD uptake relative to control explants, and autoradiography revealed that enhanced uptake was most evident in the medial layer. Main pulmonary arterial explants denuded of endothelium failed to increase polyamine transport in hypoxia. Conversely, medium conditioned by endothelial cells cultured in hypoxic, but not in normoxic, environments enabled hypoxic transport induction in denuded arterial explants. These findings in arterial explants were recapitulated in rat cultured main pulmonary artery cells, including the enhancing effect of a soluble endothelium-derived factor(s) on hypoxic induction of [(14)C]SPD uptake in smooth muscle cells. Viewed collectively, these results show in intact lung tissue that hypoxia enhances polyamine transport in pulmonary artery smooth muscle by a mechanism requiring elaboration of an unknown factor(s) from endothelial cells.

Animals↗
PubMed2026

Polyamine Metabolism as a Metabolic Vulnerability in Prostate Cancer Treated with Supraphysiological Androgens.

Prostate cancer progression is predominantly driven by androgen receptor (AR) signaling, and despite initial benefits of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), most patients eventually develop lethal castration-resistant disease. Cyclic administration of supraphysiologic androgen (SPA) with ADT paradoxically suppresses tumor growth; however, responses are heterogeneous, and the mechanisms underlying the antitumor effects of SPA remain incompletely understood. In this issue of Cancer Research, Kumar and colleagues demonstrate that SPA induces a distinct metabolic response, characterized by AR-dependent induction of polyamine biosynthesis via ODC1 and AMD1. This metabolic rewiring elevates polyamine synthesis while concurrently depleting the methyl donor S-adenosylmethionine (SAM). Although increased polyamine metabolism by SPA may promote adaptive resistance, genetic or pharmacologic inhibition of ODC1 using difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) enhances SPA-induced growth suppression by disrupting protective polyamine pools and further exacerbating SAM depletion, revealing a metabolic vulnerability in SPA-treated prostate cancer cells. Supporting these findings, a clinical trial combining DFMO with bipolar androgen therapy (BAT) demonstrated reduced circulating polyamines in patients, confirming polyamine pathway suppression in patients with different genomic features. Together, this study uncovers a mechanistic link among androgen signaling, polyamine metabolism, and therapeutic response, providing a rationale for targeting metabolic dependencies to improve SPA efficacy. See related article by Kumar et al., p. 1148.

Male↗
PubMed1988

Polyamines increase in human peripheral blood and bone marrow mononuclear cells following administration of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone).

Eight patients who had refractory leukemia and 1 patient with refractory multiple myeloma were treated with the polyamine biosynthesis inhibitors methylgloxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG) and difluoromethylornithine (DFMO). After the first dose of MGBG there was an increase in polyamine content in the mononuclear cells of both the peripheral blood and the bone marrow despite the administration of DFMO in all patients with leukemia. Putrescine levels increased in the mononuclear cells of all patients, cellular spermidine levels increased in 4 and cellular spermine levels increased in 5 patients. The cellular polyamine levels remained elevated above the pretreatment levels for up to 1 week in some patients. Subsequent treatment with MGBG, administered after 1-2 weeks of DFMO treatment, also promoted increases in mononuclear cell polyamine concentrations. Since enhanced tumor cell uptake of MGBG after DFMO priming is hypothesized to be dependent on a decrease in cellular polyamine levels, the increase in cellular polyamines after MGBG has important implications for the scheduling of this drug combination. From these observations, withholding MGBG until DFMO treatment has produced a decrease in tumor cell polyamine concentrations would be the schedule most likely to enhance the uptake of MGBG.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Multiple polyamine transport pathways in cultured pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells: regulation by hypoxia.

The polyamines putrescine (PUT), spermidine (SPD), and spermine (SPM) are a family of low molecular weight organic cations that play essential intracellular regulatory roles in cell growth and differentiation. Consistent with this important function, increases in cellular polyamine contents are necessary for a variety of physiologic and pathologic events in the lung, including development of hypertensive pulmonary vascular disease secondary to chronic alveolar hypoxia. In intact rat lungs, hypoxia depresses ornithine decarboxylase activity, the initial rate-limiting enzyme in de novo polyamine synthesis, and enhances uptake of PUT from the vascular compartment, thus suggesting that increased polyamine transport is the driving mechanism behind hypoxia-induced increases in lung polyamine contents. Cultured bovine pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) also express a transport system for SPD that is augmented by culture under hypoxic conditions. Because there may be multiple uptake pathways that are relatively selective for specific polyamines, the present study determined whether cultured bovine PASMCs expressed discrete transporters for [14C]PUT, [14C]SPD, and [14C]SPM, and whether they were differentially regulated by hypoxia. [14C]PUT, [14C]SPD, and [14C]SPM transport was examined in PASMCs cultured under "standard" (culture medium PO2: > 100 torr), "normoxic" (culture medium PO2: 50 to 70 torr), or "hypoxic" (culture medium PO2: 18 to 30 torr) conditions. Uptake of all three [14C]polyamines in cells cultured under standard conditions was temperature- and concentration-dependent, exhibited saturation kinetics, and could be modeled by Michaelis-Menten kinetics. In hypoxic PASMCs, values of Vmax for PUT, SPD, and SPM uptake increased by 3-, 2-, and 2-fold, respectively, relative to cells cultured under normoxic or standard incubator conditions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Effects of polyamines on the release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone and gonadotropins in developing female rats.

Polyamines, putrescine (PUT), spermidine (SPD), spermine (SPM), and agmatine (AGM), are polycationic amines related to multiple cell functions found in high concentrations during the development of hypothalamus and pituitary. In previous works, we demonstrated that alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), an inhibitor of polyamines biosynthesis, induced a delay in puberty of female rats, accompanied by high, sustained follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels during the infantile period. Also, DFMO treatment induced changes in polyamine concentration both in hypothalamus and pituitary of rats, mainly a decrease of PUT and SPD, an increase in SPM, and no change in AGM. In the present work, we investigated the direct effects of polyamines on the secretion of hypothalamic GnRH and pituitary gonadotropins in 6- and 15-day-old female rats. In 6-day-old animals, in vitro incubations with PUT, SPD, and AGM of hypothalami or anterior pituitaries were able to inhibit GnRH, FSH, and leutinizing hormone (LH) secretion, respectively. SPM showed a nonspecific transient inhibitory effect on FSH. When challenged with either high K(+) (hypothami) or GnRH (pituitaries), the tissues incubated in the presence of polyamines showed no differences when compared with their controls. No effects of polyamines in 15-day-old rats in either tissue were observed. Pituitary cell cultures of 6-day-old animals incubated with DFMO for 4 days showed a significant increase in FSH, but not in LH. We conclude that high PUT, SPD, and AGM levels during the first 10 days of life are important for the development of the hypothalamic-hypophyseal unit, probably related to an inhibitory effect on GnRH and gonadotropins. Therefore, polyamine participation, especially PUT and SPD, is of importance in the regulation of GnRH and gonadotropin secretion in the neonatal and infantile periods, critical stages in the establishment of sexual differentiation.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Urinary excretion of free and acetylated polyamines in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Polyamines (putrescine, spermidine and spermine) are essential for the proliferation of normal and neoplastic cells, and have been repeatedly recommended as tumor markers, with contrasting and elusive results. In the present study the urinary excretion of free and acetylated polyamines was measured in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), cirrhotics and control subjects. Separation and quantification of dansyl-derivatives of free, acetylated and total polyamines was performed by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The results show that the urinary excretion of total, free, and acetylated polyamines is significantly higher in HCC patients than in cirrhotics and controls (p < 0.001). The N1/N8 acetyl-spermidine molar ratio was found to be higher in HCC patients than in cirrhotics and controls (p < 0.001). No correlation was found between urinary excretion of polyamines and serum alpha-fetoprotein, tumor size and severity of liver cirrhosis. The results show that increased urinary excretion of free and acetylated polyamines, as well as an altered N1/N8-acetyl-spermidine molar ratio, is a sensible but not specific feature of HCC patients; polyamines may play a role in human carcinogenesis, but their determination does not seem reliable for the early detection of liver cancer.

Acetylation↗
PubMed2003

Polyamines as olfactory stimuli in the goldfish Carassius auratus.

Electrophysiological responses of goldfish olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) and goldfish behavioral responses to polyamines were investigated in vivo. Electro-olfactogram (EOG) recordings indicated that polyamines (putrescine, cadaverine and spermine) are potent olfactory stimuli for goldfish with estimated electrophysiological thresholds of 10(-8)-10(-7) mol l(-1), similar to that for L-arginine, the most stimulatory amino acid. Although thresholds were similar, the magnitude of the EOG responses to intermediate (10(-5)-10(-4) mol l(-1)) and high (10(-3) mol l(-1)) concentrations of polyamines dwarfed the responses to amino acids and related single amine containing compounds (amylamine and butylamine). The EOG responses to 0.1 mmol l(-1) putrescine, cadaverine and spermine were, respectively, 4.2x, 4.3x and 10.3x the response of the standard, 0.1 mmol l(-1) L-arginine. Electrophysiological cross-adaptation experiments indicated that polyamine receptor sites are independent from those to L-amino acids (alanine, arginine, glutamate, lysine, methionine and ornithine), bile salts (sodium taurocholate and taurolithocholate), the single amine containing compounds (amylamine and butylamine) and ATP. Further, the cross-adaptation experiments revealed the existence of independent receptor sites for the different polyamines tested. Pharmacological experiments suggested that polyamine odorant transduction does not primarily involve the cyclic AMP and IP(3) second messenger pathways. Behavioral assays indicated that polyamines are attractants that elicit feeding behavior similar to that elicited by L-amino acids.

Amines↗
PubMed2006

[Regulation of polyamine and cancer].

This review describes my work in the field of polyamine research for the last 35 years. My research started with developing the improved synthesis of decarboxylated S-adenosylmethionine and then moved to the purification of spermidine synthase from rat prostate. I also took considerable efforts to find the synthetic procedure for various polyamines with high yield in order to prepare (15)N-labeled polyamines. On the basis of these methodological work, I searched for the inhibitor of spermidine synthase and found trans-4-methylcyclohexylamine (MCHA), the most effective one at the present time. I also developed a new analytical method for polyamines using stable isotope and ionspray ionization mass spectrometry (IS-MS). Based on these studies I examined the role of polyamines in liver regeneration and found that oral administration of MCHA effectively changed the concentration of polyamines and inhibited the hepatic growth. I also found the close relationship between the concentration ratio of spermidine to spermine and the extent of liver regeneration. These results may shed new light on the control of cell growth by polyamine in vivo.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Effects of polyamines on two strains of Trypanosoma brucei in infected rats and in vitro culture.

We studied the effects of polyamines, which are necessary for proliferation and antioxidation in Trypanosoma brucei gambiense Wellcome strain (WS) and Trypanosoma brucei brucei ILtat 1.4 strain (IL). No difference was found in activity of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), a key enzyme in polyamine synthesis in trypanosomes, in both strains maintained in vitro; higher (P < 0.05) ODC values were found in IL in vivo. However, WS in vivo exhibited higher proliferation rates with higher spermidine content and decreased host survival times than IL. The in vitro proliferation and polyamine contents of WS increased with the addition of polyamine to the 1-difluoromethylornithine culture medium, but not IL. These results suggested that WS uses extracellular polyamine for proliferation. In the in vitro culture, WS was less tolerant of hydrogen peroxide (oxidative stress) than IL, and malondialdehyde levels in WS were higher than in IL. The expression of trypanothione synthetase mRNA in WS in vitro was higher than in IL. These results suggest that IL is dependent on the synthesis of polyamines for proliferation and reduction of oxidative stress, whereas WS is dependent on the uptake of extracellular polyamines. A thorough understanding of the differences in the metabolic capabilities of various trypanosomes is important for the design of more effective medical treatments.

Amide Synthases↗
PubMed1999

Clinical aspects of cell death in breast cancer: the polyamine pathway as a new target for treatment.

Because intracellular polyamines have a critical role in cell proliferation and death pathways, the polyamine metabolic pathway represents a potential target for intervention in cancers. A number of polyamine analogues have been identified that downregulate polyamine synthesis and enhance polyamine catabolism, thereby depleting intracellular polyamines. Treatment of human breast cancer cell lines in culture with these analogues has been shown to decrease cell proliferation and induce programmed cell death. Phase I studies with one analogue are now complete, setting the stage for phase II trials to determine efficacy, in addition to preclinical studies to examine combinations of polyamine analogues and conventional cytotoxics.

Acetyltransferases↗
PubMed1985

Polyamine levels in gynecologic malignancies.

Polyamines are closely related to many aspects of cell growth. Since increased amounts of polyamines in the urine of human cancer patients were reported in 1971, polyamines have been studied from the standpoint of tumor markers. In this study, polyamines in erythrocytes, plasma and urine were determined in 42 controls and 105 patients with gynecologic malignant tumors. The changes in polyamine levels were investigated before and after treatment. With advances in the stage of uterine cervical cancer, the frequency of abnormal levels of polyamines (concentrations greater than two standard deviations above the mean control level) became greater, and reached nearly 80% in recurrent and ovarian cancer. In the early stage of cancer, the diagnostic value was low. Comparison with carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) was also performed. The polyamines lack specificity for malignant diseases, but they can be used to some extent as a tumor marker in the gynecologic field.

Adult↗