title: Polyamines and cell proliferation in the sea star Pycnopodia helianthoides.
abstract: 1. Diamines (putrescine and cadaverine) and polyamines (spermidine and spermine) were extracted from tissues of the sea star Pycnopodia helianthoides, separated and quantitated using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Simultaneous measurements of levels of protein and DNA and rates of incorporation of 14C-thymidine were carried out. 2. The most abundant polyamine in tissues was spermidine (0.3873-2.5282 nmol/mg tissue) followed by spermine (0.103-1.5517 nmol/mg tissue), putrescine (0.2096-0.5322 nmol/mg tissue) and cadaverine (0.022-0.6064 nmol/mg tissue). 3. An unknown molecule with derivatization and elution behaviour similar to that of polyamine standards was detected in all tissues. 4. Protein levels ranged from 20.47 mg/g tissue in the body wall to 48.44 mg/g tissue in the pyloric caecum. 5. DNA levels were lowest in the ovary (0.25 mg/g tissue) and highest in the testis (5.62 mg/g tissue). 6. Incorporation of 14C-thymidine was highest in the testis. Testicular tissue had the highest spermidine/spermine ratio (5.4). A significant correlation between the spermidine/spermine ratio and 14C-thymidine incorporation (expressed either as DPM/g tissue or DPM/mg protein) suggests that polyamines are implicated in the regulation of cell proliferation in the sea star P. helianthoides.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Mount Allison University, Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Asotra
authors.forename: P V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Mladenov
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Burke
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002103:Cadaverine / Q000378:metabolism; D002455:Cell Division; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D004447:Echinodermata / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D011073:Polyamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011700:Putrescine / Q000378:metabolism; D013095:Spermidine / Q000378:metabolism; D013096:Spermine / Q000378:metabolism; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D011073:Polyamines; D011506:Proteins; D013096:Spermine; D004247:DNA; D002103:Cadaverine; D013095:Spermidine; D011700:Putrescine