title: Interaction of alkylputrescines with ornithine decarboxylase from rat liver and Escherichia coli: an in vitro and in vivo study.
abstract: The inhibitory effect of a series of 2-alkylputrescines on rat liver and Escherichia coli ornithine decarboxylase (L-ornithine carboxy-lyase, EC 4.1.1.17) was examined. At 2.5 mM concentrations, 2-methyl-, 2-propyl-, 2-butyl-, 2-pentyl- and 2-hexylputrescines were stronger inhibitors of the mammalian enzyme than putrescine. Only the higher homologues (from 2-propyl- to 2-hexylputrescine) were inhibitors of the E. coli enzyme. An analysis of the effect of increasing concentrations of the 2-alkylputrescines showed that the main difference in the behaviour of the mammalian and E. coli decarboxylases toward 2-alkylputrescines was that the former was strongly inhibited by 2-methylputrescine whereas the latter was not. 2-Alkylputrescines were found to be competitive inhibitors of both the bacterial and mammalian enzyme. The smallest Ki values (0.1 and 0.5 mM) were found for the 2-hexyl- and 2-pentylputresciens. N-Methyl-, N-ethyl-, N-propyl- and N-butylputrescines (50 mumol per 100 g body weight) were assayed as inhibitors of thioacetamide-induced rat liver ornithine decarboxylase. N-Propylputrescine was found to be the most inhibitory (66% inhibition) and although the N-alkylputrescines were taken up by the liver, they did not inhibit the liver polyamine pools. Both putrescine and N-methylputrescine were found to stabilize the thioacetamide-induced ornithine decarboxylase at the onset of the enzyme's degradation, while 2-alkylputrescines were inhibitory under similar conditions. N-Methylputrescine induced antizyme in thioacetamide-treated rats. In thioacetamide- or dexamethasone-treated rats, 2-methylputrescine was found to be the strongest in vivo inhibitor of the liver decarboxylase. Although 2-alkylputrescines were efficiently taken up by the liver, they did not noticeably inhibit its polyamine pools. 2-methylputrescine decreased the putrescine concentration of the liver, but not its spermidine and spermine content. No induction of ornithine decarboxylase antizyme by 2-methylputrescine could be detected. The intrahepatic concentration of the latter decreased with time, very likely due to its degradation by a diamine oxidase, since the decrease was inhibited by aminoguanidine.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Farmacia y Bioqímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ruiz
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Buldain
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Garrido
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Frydman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology*; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology*; D065108:Ornithine Decarboxylase Inhibitors; D011073:Polyamines / Q000032:analysis; D011700:Putrescine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D065108:Ornithine Decarboxylase Inhibitors; D011073:Polyamines; D011700:Putrescine