Abstract
The levels of polyamines (putrescine, spermidine and spermine) in erythrocytes and plasma were studied using Cloudman S-91 melanoma grown in the lungs of DBA/2 mice. Polyamine levels and the numbers of tumour-cell colonies in the lungs were determined at weekly intervals. Putrescine levels in both erythrocytes and plasma significantly increased 1 week after tumour inoculation. Three weeks after inoculation, however, putrescine levels in the erythrocytes showed a greater increase than those in plasma. Spermidine and spermine levels were initially high at 2 weeks in plasma and at 4 weeks in erythrocytes. However, by 6 weeks the spermidine levels showed a greater increase in erythrocytes than in plasma. These data suggest that erythrocytes may absorb and store polyamines released into the circulation.This finding was subsequently applied to human studies. Fifty-two untreated patients with solid tumours were examined in the preoperative period. All erythrocyte polyamine levels from patients were significantly higher than those from control subjects. Plasma spermidine levels in patients were significantly higher than those in controls, whereas plasma putrescine and spermine levels showed no significant increase. The frequency of raised levels of putrescine, spermidine and spermine in erythrocytes was significantly greater than in plasma. These results suggest that polyamine levels in erythrocytes may provide useful information for the detection of cancer.
Highlights
Summary.-The levels of polyamines in erythrocytes and plasma were studied using Cloudman S-91 melanoma grown in the lungs of DBA/2 mice
Fifty-two untreated patients with solid tumours were examined in the preoperative period
The frequency of raised levels of putrescine, spermidine and spermine in erythrocytes was significantly greater than in plasma. These results suggest that polyamine levels in erythrocytes may provide useful information for the detection of cancer
Summary
Experimental mouse melanoma.-Male inbred DBA/2 mice, aged 5 weeks (18-21 g) were purchased from Timco Breeding Laboratories (Houston, Texas, U.S.A.), and fed a standard laboratory diet ad libitum. Each week thereafter at least 6 mice were sacrificed to collect blood. Preparation of samples and determination of polyamines-.Whole blood was immediately centrifuged at 500 g for 20 min after collection. The plasma was removed for polyamine assay, and the buffy coat leucocytes were carefully aspirated from the erythrocytes (Cooper, et al, 1978; Saeki, et al, 1978). The erythrocytes were subsequently washed with 3 volumes of cold physiological saline, centrifuged, and the buffy coat leucocytes aspirated as above. After thoroughly mixing the packed erythrocytes, aliquots of the erythrocyte fraction (0-2 ml from mouse sample and 1I0 ml from human sample) were used for preparation of polyamine samples. The recoveries of putrescine, spermidine and spermine wiere 88.2%, 77-70o and 84-10o, respectively, in mice, whilst in humans recoveries were 85.0%, 78.4% and 86 4%, respectively
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