Polyamine cytotoxicity in the presence of bovine serum amine oxidase

The toxicity of extracellular spermine, determined in the presence of fetal calf serum, was studied using three cell lines: FM3A, L1210, and NIH3T3 ce lls. Amine oxidase in fetal calf serum produces aminodialdehyde generating acrolein spontaneously, H2O2, and ammonia from spermine. Spermine toxicity was prevented by aldehyde dehydrogenase, but not by catalase, Similar conce ntrations of spermine and acrolein were needed to produce toxicity. Other a ldehydes (formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and propionaldehyde) and hydrogen per oxide were less toxic than acrolein, Spermidine and 3-aminopropanal, which produces acrolein, also exhibited severe cytotoxicity, The degree of cytoto xicity of spermine, spermidine, and 3-aminopropanal was nearly parallel wit h the amount of acrolein produced from each compound. Thus, it was deduced that acrolein is a major toxic compound produced from polyamines (spermine and spermidine) by amine oxidase. (C) 2001 Academic Press.