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Metabolism of [¹⁴C]Spermidine and [¹⁴C]Putrescine in Normal Volunteers and in Cancer Patients¹

Departments of Pharmacology [M. G. R., D. H. R.] and Hematology/Oncology [B. G. M. D., S. E. S.], University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson, Arizona 85724

The administration of [¹⁴C]putrescine or [¹⁴C]spermidine (i.v., 100 µCi) to normal volunteers or patients with advanced cancer resulted in -phase half-lives of 40 and 30 sec and ß-phase half-lives of 30 and 60 min, respectively. No significant differences were found between the plasma decay curves of normals and those of cancer patients. Urinary excretion was similar with both groups excreting approximately 45% of [¹⁴C]putrescine within 24 hr and 60 to 76% of [¹⁴C]spermidine within 48 hr. Dowex chromatography indicated that >90% of the radiolabel in the urine was in a conjugated form. Plasma conjugation studies of [¹⁴C]putrescine and [¹⁴C]spermidine in both groups indicated near-total conjugation of the radiolabel within 4 to 5 min of i.v. injection. Since putrescine and spermidine are markers of disease activity, characterization of the conjugates will be important for the development of rapid, specific tests of altered disease activity in response to multimodality therapy.

¹ This work was supported by USPHS Grants CA-14783 and CA-17094 from the National Cancer Institute.

² Recipient of Research Career Development Award CA-00072 from the National Cancer Institute. To whom requests for reprints should be addressed.

Received 5/30/78. Accepted 7/ 5/78.

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