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Intestinal tumor and agmatine (decarboxylated arginine)
Author(s) -
Molderings Gerhard J.,
Kribben Bettina,
Heinen Anja,
Schröder Detlev,
Brüss Michael,
Göthert Manfred
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/cncr.20407
Subject(s) - agmatine , polyamine , arginine decarboxylase , arginine , intracellular , spermidine , cell culture , ornithine decarboxylase , ornithine decarboxylase antizyme , cell growth , cancer cell , putrescine , biochemistry , pharmacology , cancer research , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , cancer , medicine , enzyme , amino acid , genetics
BACKGROUND The polyamine system is a promising target for anticancer therapy. Ideally, an antineoplastic compound affecting this system should inhibit both ornithine decarboxylase and the polyamine transporter, and toxicity should be mild. Agmatine, decarboxylated L ‐arginine, appears to be such a compound. METHODS Adenosine triphosphate levels and the protein content of cell populations in culture were identified as surrogate markers for cell count. Agmatine content in cells and tissue specimens was measured by high‐performance liquid chromatography. Antizyme levels were estimated by Western blotting. RESULTS Agmatine inhibited the proliferation of six human intestinal tumor cell lines in a concentration‐dependent manner; this inhibition probably was attributable to an interaction between agmatine and the intracellular polyamine system. Consistent with the inverse relation between cell proliferation and agmatine concentration was the finding that agmatine content in human colon carcinoma tissue was approximatly one‐half as great as it was in adjacent macroscopically normal tissue. CONCLUSIONS The results of the current study were compatible with the hypothesis that agmatine possesses antineoplastic action against intestinal tumor cells. It is likely that this activity is attributable to agmatine's regulatory role in polyamine homeostasis. Cancer 2004. © 2004 American Cancer Society.