EFFECTS OF CATIONIC DIAMIDINES ON POLYAMINE METABOLISM IN THE TRYPANOSOMATID CRITHIDIA-FASCICULATA

The effect of a series of five recently synthesized cationic diamidine s on cell proliferation and polyamine metabolism was studied on cultur es of the model Trypanosomatid Crithidia fasciculata. Compounds displa ying two arylic moieties (CGP039937A and CGP040215A) were ten fold mor e cytostatic than those displaying only one arylic residue (CGP033829A , CGP035753A and CGP036958A). The depletion of intracellular polyamine , putrescine and spermidine, pools and the effect of these compounds o n S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase and putrescine uptake suggest the requirement of two arylic groups in their chemical structure to obtai n measurable effects on both polyamine metabolism and cell growth.