title: Polyamine oxidase activity and polyamine levels in human colorectal cancer and in normal surrounding mucosa.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Polyamine oxidase (PAO) is an enzyme involved in the interconversion pathway of polyamines, compounds required for cell proliferation and differentiation. As the role of PAO in tumor growth is unclear, and no data about PAO activity in human colorectal carcinoma are available, our aim was to investigate PAO activity and polyamine levels in this kind of tumor.
  
  
  METHODS
  Polyamine levels and PAO activity were detected in 30 neoplastic colorectal samples and surrounding mucosa by HPLC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Free and N1-acetylated polyamine levels were higher in the neoplastic tissue than surrounding mucosa of the same patient. On the contrary, PAO activity was significantly lower in the neoplastic tissue than surrounding mucosa.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It seems that PAO activity does not play an important role in the increased free polyamine levels in human colorectal carcinoma. Instead, the low PAO activity observed in our study let us to hypothesize that polyamine analogues can have an antitumoral effect on colorectal carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry Laboratory, Institute for Digestive Diseases, I.R.C.C.S. S. de Bellis, Castellana G, (BA), Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Linsalata
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cavallini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Leo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D000587:Oxidoreductases Acting on CH-NH Group Donors / Q000032:analysis*; D011073:Polyamines / Q000032:analysis*; D000097667:Polyamine Oxidase
chemical_list: D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D000587:Oxidoreductases Acting on CH-NH Group Donors; D011073:Polyamines; D000097667:Polyamine Oxidase