The importance of dietary polyamines in cell regeneration and growth

Abstract

The polyamines putrescine, spermidine and spermine are essential for cell renewal and, therefore, are needed to keep the body healthy. It was previously believed that polyamines are synthesized by every cell in the body when required. However, in the present paper evidence is provided to show that, as in the case of the essential amino acids, the diet can supply sufficient amounts of polyamines to support cell renewal and growth. Systematic analysis of different foods was carried out and from the data obtained, the average daily polyamine consumption of British adults was calculated to be in the range 350-500 pmol/person per d. The major sources of putrescine were fruit, cheese and non-green vegetables. All foods contributed similar amounts of spermidine to the diet, although levels were generally higher in green vegetables. Meat was the richest source of spermine. However, only a part of the polyamines supplied by the diet is available for use by the body. Based on experiments with rats it was established that polyamines were readily taken up from the gut lumen, probably by passive diffusion, and were partly metabolized during the process of absorption. More than 80% of the putrescine was converted to other polyamines and non-polyamine metabolites, mostly to amino acids. The enzyme responsible for controlling the bioavailability of putrescine was diamine oxidase (EC 1.4.3.6). For spermidine and spermine, however, about 7 W YO of the intragastrically intubated dose remained in the original form.Considering the limitations on bioavailability (metabolism and conversion), the amounts of polyamines supplied by the average daily diet in Britain should satisfy metabolic requirements.

Influence of spermine on intestinal maturation of the glycoprotein glycosylation process in neonatal rats

“…The levels of the other polyamines (spermidine and putrescine) and of N-acetylspermidine and N-acetylspermine were not modified. These results indicate that no important interconversion occurred from spermine to spermidine and to putrescine ; they agree with those of Bardocz et al [18], which showed that polyamines are readily taken up from the lumen and that spermine is not as strongly metabolized as putrescine. In suckling rats treated orally with spermine, the increase in the intestinal content of spermine in comparison with control rats is probably due to the intake, at the apical pole of the epithelial cells, of a higher quantity of this polyamine that is present in the gut lumen, rather than to a higher contribution via blood circulation, because intraperitoneal administration of spermine was without effect.…”

“…It could be interesting to determine the nature of one of them (with a molecular mass of 100 kDa), which was more strongly revealed than the others and might be one of the glycoprotein enzymes of the brush border membrane (e.g. sucrase, maltase or aminopeptidase), also precociously induced after spermine ingestion [18,36]. However, it remains to be determined whether the precocious induction of intestinal fucosylation, observed in suckling rats treated orally with spermine, is due to a direct effect of polyamines after enterocyte penetration at the luminal side of the cell or to an indirect stimulated secretion of hormone or of other secondary effectors.…”

“…In rat small intestine, increased ornithine decarboxylase activity and polyamine levels occur during the weaning period [15] in association with the other mucosal modifications. The intake of dietary polyamines, added to their biosynthesis, is important in this process [16,17] and the importance of polyamines from extracellular sources, particularly from the diet, is increasingly being emphasized [18]. The oral administration of polyamines to suckling rats caused the precocious disappearance of lactase and the appearance of sucrase and maltase activities [19][20][21][22].…”

Polyamines and cancer: old molecules, new understanding

“…So, although urea-cycle enzymes are expressed primarily in the liver and intestine, polyamines are made in all tissues. Polyamines are also obtained from the diet (foods that are high in polyamines include cheese and red meat 3 ) and from other sources, such as intestinal bacteria 1,4 . These externally derived polyamines are transported into cells from extracellular spaces.…”

Spermidine: a physiological autophagy inducer acting as an anti-aging vitamin in humans?

“…This chemical affects numerous biological processes, including cell growth and proliferation, tissue regeneration, DNA and RNA stabilization, enzymatic modulation, and regulation of translation, among others [1–3]. Furthermore, spermidine exhibits anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, enhances mitochondrial metabolic function and respiration, promotes chaperone activity and improves proteostasis [4].…”