ESTROGEN-RECEPTORS AND POLYAMINE LEVELS IN HUMAN GASTRIC-CARCINOMA

We evaluated polyamine (putrescine, spermidine, and spermine) levels, estrogen receptor concentrations, and their relationship in neoplastic tissue and surrounding mucosa from 30 patients with gastric adenocarc inoma. Cytosolic estrogen receptors were measured with an immunoenzyma tic assay. Polyamine levels were evaluated with high-performance liqui d chromatography. Estrogen receptor concentrations were statistically higher in surrounding mucosa than in neoplastic tissue (p = 0.023). Pu trescine and spermidine levels and the spermidine to spermine ratio we re statistically higher in neoplastic tissue than in surrounding mucos a (p < 0.004). Significant correlations were found between the levels of spermidine and total polyamines in neoplastic tissue and surroundin g mucosa (r = 0.48, p = 0.014, and r = 0.45, p = 0.021, respectively). Polyamine levels were lower in estrogen-receptor-positive tumors than in estrogen-receptor-negative ones, although this decrease was statis tically significant only in the case of spermine (p = 0.02). The signi ficance of these findings is that the cellular activity of normal and neoplastic gastric mucosa may be partly controlled by estrogens.