title: Polyamine catabolism: target for antiproliferative therapies in animals and stress tolerance strategies in plants.
abstract: Metabolism of polyamines spermidine and spermine, and their diamine precursor, putrescine, has been a target for antineoplastic therapy since these naturally occurring alkyl amines were found essential for normal mammalian cell growth. Intracellular polyamine concentrations are maintained at a cell type-specific set point through the coordinated and highly regulated interplay between biosynthesis, transport, and catabolism. A correlation between regulation of cell proliferation and polyamine metabolism is described. In particular, polyamine catabolism involves copper-containing amine oxidases and FAD-dependent polyamine oxidases. Several studies showed an important role of these enzymes in several developmental and disease-related processes in both animals and plants through a control on polyamine homeostasis in response to normal cellular signals, drug treatment, environmental and/or cellular stressors. The production of toxic aldehydes and reactive oxygen species, H(2)O(2) in particular, by these oxidases using extracellular and intracellular polyamines as substrates, suggests a mechanism by which the oxidases can be exploited as antineoplastic drug targets. This minireview summarizes recent advances on the physiological roles of polyamine catabolism in animals and plants in an attempt to highlight differences and similarities that may contribute to determine in detail the underlined mechanisms involved. This information could be useful in evaluating the possibility of this metabolic pathway as a target for new antiproliferative therapies in animals and stress tolerance strategies in plants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University Roma Tre, 00146, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Paraskevi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tavladoraki
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cona
authors.forename: Rodolfo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Federico
authors.forename: Giampiero
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tempera
authors.forename: Nikenza
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Viceconte
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saccoccio
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Battaglia
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Toninello
authors.forename: Enzo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Agostinelli
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000818:Animals; D015317:Biogenic Polyamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D018521:Plant Physiological Phenomena; D013312:Stress, Physiological
chemical_list: D015317:Biogenic Polyamines