title: The natural polyamine spermine functions directly as a free radical scavenger.
abstract: The polyamines are small organic cations that are absolutely required for eukaryotic cell growth. Although their growth requirements are well established, the molecular functions of the polyamines are ill-defined. Oxidative damage to DNA by reactive oxygen species is a continual problem that cells must guard against to survive. The polyamine spermine, which is normally found in millimolar concentrations in the nucleus, is shown here to function directly as a free radical scavenger, and adducts formed as a result of this function are identified. These data suggest that spermine is a major natural intracellular compound capable of protecting DNA from free radical attack.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA.
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.forename: N S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Sirisoma
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kuppusamy
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Zweier
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Woster
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Casero
mesh_terms: D001386:Azides / Q000737:chemistry; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000737:chemistry; D003300:Copper / Q000378:metabolism; D003497:Cyclic N-Oxides / Q000378:metabolism; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000235:genetics*; D004578:Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000378:metabolism*; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical / Q000378:metabolism; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010957:Plasmids / Q000378:metabolism; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D013096:Spermine / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D001386:Azides; D003497:Cyclic N-Oxides; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D013096:Spermine; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical; C069977:2,2-dimethyl-5-hydroxy-1-pyrrolidinyloxy; D003300:Copper