This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Seiler, N. Articles by Bartholeyns, J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Seiler, N. Articles by Bartholeyns, J.

Enhanced Urinary Excretion of N¹-Acetylspermidine and the Presence of Tumors

Centre de Recherche Merrell International 16, rue d'Ankara, 67084 Strasbourg Cedex, France

We have studied the urinary excretion of free and acetylated polyamines in hepatoma-bearing Buffalo rats during the period of linear growth of the tumor mass. The excretion of nonconjugated polyamines was unchanged. N¹-Acetylspermidine excretion did not parallel the linear increase in tumor mass but increased exponentially. Enhancement of N⁸-acetylspermidine excretion above control levels was observed only at a time when the average tumor mass was 35 ± 9 (S.D.) g, shortly before the period when necrosis is usually observed. These data taken together with the analysis of urinary acetylpolyamines in rats bearing mammary tumors and in two melanoma patients show that the determination of the N¹-acetylspermidine/N⁸-acetylspermidine ratio in urine may be of only limited value as an indicator for the presence of tumors.