Liquid chromatographic determination of polyamines in human urine based on intramolecular excimer-forming fluorescence derivatization using 4-(1-pyrene)butanoyl chloride

A liquid chromatographic method for highly sensitive and selective fluorometric determination of polyamines (putrescine, cadaverine, spermidine and spermine) in human urine is described. This method is based on an intramolecular excimer-forming fluorescence derivatization with a pyrene reagent, 4-(1-pyrene)butanoyl chloride (PBC), followed by reversed-phase liquid chromatography. The method offers higher sensitivity for determination of spermidine and spermine than previously reported method utilizing 4-(1-pyrene)butyric acid N-hydroxysuccinimide ester as a derivatization reagent. Samples containing free polyamines in diluted human urine were directly derivatized with PBC and separated on an octyl column. The derivatives were detected at excitation 345 and emission 475 nm wavelengths. For determination of total polyamine content, the conjugated polyamines were first hydrolyzed in 4 M HCl. The detection limits (signal-to-noise ratio = 3) for polyamines in urine were 1.1-3.4 pmol/mL. At optimized derivatization and chromatographic conditions, interferences such as biogenic monoamines gave no peaks or the peaks did not interfere with the peaks of polyamine derivatives. In conclusion, the present derivatization method allows direct determination of polyamines in human urine samples without the need for sample clean-up procedures.     

Separation of polyamines, conjugated to DNA, by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

Genomic DNA was isolated from the lichen Evernia prunastri in order to analyze by high-performance liquid chromatography the occurrence of polyamines conjugated to the macromolecule. The acid-insoluble (PH) fraction of this DNA contained mainly conjugated spermidine, although small amounts of free putrescine and spermidine were also present. The PH fraction of DNA also contained conjugated evernic acid, the main phenol produced by this lichen species. Conjugation of polyamines to calf thymus DNA was carried out under in vitro conditions. Conjugation was to spermidine and mainly to spermine and produced DNA compactation. Evernic acid enhanced the action of polyamines in order to produce DNA aggregation.     

Determination of polyamines in hydrolysates of uremic plasma by high-performance cation-exchange column chromatography

The levels of putrescine, cadaverine, spermidine and spermine in uremic plasma were determined with an automatic polyamine analyzer with a 7.5 X 0.2 cm I.D. cation-exchange column using a stepwise sodium chloride gradient. All four polyamines were higher in ten patients with chronic renal failure than in eight normal subjects. The total polyamine content was also measured in the patients' plasma before and after maintenance dialysis; putrescine and spermidine levels were significantly lowered by the procedure.     

High performance liquid chromatography of biological polyamines using immobilized enzyme as post-column reactor followed by electrochemical detection

A novel analytical method for biological polyamines (putrescine, spermidine and spermine) was developed. Polyamines were separated by ion-pair reversed phase chromatography using a polymer-based octadecyl bonded column. A polyamine oxidase immobilized column worked effectively as a post-column reactor to convert polyamines to hydrogen peroxide which was eventually detected by electrochemical oxidation on platinum electrode. This method required neither tedious derivatization nor gradient elution, permitting us to perform simple and rapid analysis of polyamines. The detection limits were 0.3, 0.6, and 4 pmol injected for putrescine, spermidine, and spermine, respectively with a linear range of two to three orders of magnitude. Chromatograms obtained with samples from human urine and rat brain homogenates demonstrated the high sensitivity and selectivity of the method.     

Sensitive fluorimetric method for the determination of putrescine, spermidine and spermine by high-performance liquid chromatography and its application to human blood

A fast and sensitive method for the determination of putrescine, spermidine and spermine by high-performance liquid chromatography is described. These compounds are converted to their fluorescent dansyl derivatives and are separated by a reversed-phase chromatographic system (Micropak CH-10) with water and acetonitrile as mobile phase. The sensitivity of the method is 30 pmoles. The application of the method to the determination of polyamines in blood is described. It was found that most of the polyamines circulating in blood are localized in the erythrocytes, their content in normal human blood being spermidine 14.1 +/- 3.1, and spermine 8.4 +/- 2.8 nmoles/ml packed erythrocytes. The polyamine level in serum is less than 0.1 nmole/ml. The polyamine content of the erythrocytes from patients with malignant neoplasms was significantly elevated.     

Polyamine distribution in the rat intestinal mucosa

As the first step in a study of mucosal polyamine metabolism during intestinal adaptation, we have measured mucosal polyamine concentrations at different sites along the normal rat intestine. Putrescine, spermidine, spermine and cadaverine were measured by spectrofluorometric analysis after thin-layer chromatography of their dansylated derivatives. Spermidine was present in the largest amounts at each of the sampling sites. The ratio of the concentration of spermidine to that of spermine paralleled the established pattern of cellular proliferation in the normal intestine as did the putrescine concentration (nmol per 10 cm) which decreased from duodenum to colon. These results provide the essential background to an assessment of the role of polyamines in the intestinal adaptive response.     

Heparin-sepharose as a tool in the subcellular fractionation of a polyamine-rich organ (rat ventral prostate)

Heparin-sepharose forms complexes with putrescine, spermidine, and spermine and indirect measurements of its affinity for polyamines gives values similar to those obtained with free heparin. A direct measurement of the binding of heparin-sepharose to spermine gives an apparent dissociation constant (K _d) of 1.5×10⁻⁶ M spermine. Unlike free heparin, heparin-sepharose does not cause either disruption of the nuclei or more sutble modifications able to modify their sedimentation behavior. The heparin-sepharose polyamine complex formed by the addition of heparin-sepharose to the homogenate can easily be removed and the homogenate can be processed according to normal schedules. Heparin-sepharose is able to sequester 85% of the exchangeable spermine present in the homogenate of rat ventral prostate. The distribution of the marker enzyme galactosyltransferase (Golgi apparatus) on a sucrose density gradient was followed to assess the usefulness of heparin-sepharose in minimizing the aggregation of cellular organelles brought about by polyamines.     

Determination of polyamine metabolome in plasma and urine by ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method: Application to identify potential markers for human hepatic cancer

To evaluate the potential relationship between cancer and polyamine metabolome, a UHPLC–MS/MS method has been developed and validated for simultaneous determination of polyamine precursors, polyamines, polyamine catabolite in human plasma and urine. Polyamine precursors including l-ornithine, lysine, l-arginine and S-adenosyl-l-methionine; polyamines including 1,3-diaminopropane, putrescine, cadaverine, spermidine, spermine, agmatine, N-acetylputrescine, N-acetylspermine and N-acetylspermidine; polyamine catabolite including γ-aminobutyric acid had been determined. The analytes were extracted from plasma and urine samples by protein precipitation procedure, and then separated on a Shim-pack XR-ODS column with 0.05% heptafluorobutyric acid (HFBA) in methanol and 0.05% HFBA in water. The detection was performed on UHPLC–MS/MS system with turbo ion spray source in the positive ion and multiple reaction-monitoring mode. The limits of quantitation for all analytes were within 0.125–31.25 ng mL⁻¹ in plasma and urine. The absolute recoveries of analytes from plasma and urine were all more than 50%. By means of the method developed, the plasma and urine samples from hepatic cancer patients and healthy age-matched volunteers had been successfully determined. Results showed that putrescine and spermidine in hepatic cancerous plasma were significant higher than those in healthy ones, while spermidine, spermine and N-acetylspermidine in hepatic cancerous urine were significant higher than those in healthy ones. The methods demonstrated the changes of polyamine metabolome occurring in plasma and urine from human subjects with hepatic cancer. It could be a powerful manner to indicate and treat hepatic cancer in its earliest indicative stages.     

An improved and easy technique for polyamine determination in biological samples. Application to cell-free system from hypertrophied rat heart.

An accurate, improved cation-exchange chromatographic method using o-phthalaldehyde and ultraviolet detection at 280 nm for the determination of free polyamines (putrescine, spermidine, spermine) has been developed. Different samples, such as the 105,000 g supernatant of reticulocyte or heart muscle, and KCl ribosomal wash containing initiation factors, can be analysed. The minor modification of reagents results in a good precision and sensitivity, which is demonstrated by a relative standard deviation of 5--9% and recoveries of 98%. This technique is of particular interest because it allows polyamine determination in biological samples with high concentrations of salt.     

Nature spermidine and spermine alkaloids: Occurrence and pharmacological effects

Spermidine and spermine are special polyamines in organisms, and produced in vivo by putrescine and S-adenosylmethionine catalyzed by a variety of enzymes. Spermidine and spermine possess multiple amino groups, and are closely related to cell division, growth and survival. Spermidine and spermine alkaloids are widely distributed in plants, bacteria and marine organisms, and can be divided into macrocyclic and open chain according to the skeletons. Spermidine and spermine alkaloids exhibited numerous pharmacological effects such as anti-inflammatory, antibiotics, anti-tumor, anti-Alzheimer and anti-virus. However, up to now, there are few systematic reviews on spermidine and spermine alkaloids. In this review, based on the number of atoms in the ring, we summarized the distributions and pharmacological effects of spermidine and spermine alkaloids. Spermidine and spermine alkaloids have special chemophenetic significances in the plant kingdom, especially the macrocyclic spermidine and spermine alkaloids. Spermidine alkaloids are much more abundant in nature than spermine alkaloids. The pharmacological activities of the open chain spermidine and spermine alkaloids are studied in depth. Polycyclic guanidine spermidine alkaloids, isolated from marine sponge, exhibit great potential in various cancer cells. However, pharmacological studies of macrocyclic spermidine and spermine alkaloids are scarce. Synthesis is an effective way to get more spermidine and spermine alkaloids and their analogues for further study.     

HPLC analysis of polyamines and their acetylated derivatives in the picomole range using benzoyl chloride and 3,5-dinitrobenzoyl chloride as derivatizing agent

Analytical methods are described for the quantitative determination of putrescine, cadaverine, spermidine, spermine and the acetylated derivatives of spermidine and spermine in biological fluids using pre-column derivatization with either benzoyl chloride or 3,5-dinitrobenzoyl chloride, which were added to each sample as solutions in diethyl ether. Putrescine, spermidine and spermine can be analysed in seminal plasma at nanogram levels when benzoyl chloride is used as derivatizing agent. In the analysis of putrescine, cadaverine, spermidine and acetyl derivatives of spermidine and spermine, higher sensitivity is obtained with 3,5-dinitrobenzoyl-chloride. This method can readily be used in the determination of acetylated polyamines in urine samples.     

Rapid and Simple Technique for the Quantitation of Polyamines in Biological Samples

Abstract

A rapid and simple technique has been developed to quantify putrescine, spermidine, and spermine in biological tissue. The method, based upon several published procedures, involves protein precipitation with perchloric acid followed by dansylation with 5-dimethylamino-1-naphthalenesulfonyl chloride (dansyl chloride). After extraction on a Waters C₁₈ Sep-Pak cartridge, the samples are analyzed by high pressure liquid chromotography using a step solvent change and a 3μ C₁₈ reverse phase column. The chromotographic conditions allowed complete analysis of the three polyamines within 10 min with a total run time of 13 min (sample injection and re-equilibrium of column). Standard curves were linear up to 1 μg polyamine and the coefficient of variation for the assay ranged from 4% at l μg polyamine per sample to 11% at 50 ng polyamine per sample. The assay is therefore both rapid and simple. Moreover, unlike other available methods, the present technique does not require duel pumps, ion pairing agents, solvent extraction or a gradient control system. The concentrations of putrescine, spermidine and spermine in rat lung, liver and kidney are reported.     

Selective fluorometric detection of polyamines using micellar electrokinetic chromatography with laser-induced fluorescence detection

The polyamines putrescine, cadaverine, spermine and spermidine were separated and quantified by micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) with laser-induced fluorescence detection. The derivatization reagent, 1-pyrenebutanoic acid succinimidyl ester (PSE), allowed for the selective detection of the polyamines at 490 nm. Multiple labeling of the polyamines with PSE allows the formation of intramolecular excimers that emit at longer wavelengths (450-520 nm) than mono-labeled analytes (360-420 nm). Optimal separation of the labeled polyamines was achieved using a separation buffer consisting of 10 mM phosphate pH 7.2, 30 mM cholate, and 30% acetonitrile. Using these conditions, the four polyamines were separated in under 10 min. Limits of detection for putrescine, cadaverine, spermine and spermidine were 6, 5, 15 and 13 nM, respectively. These are superior or comparable to those previously reported in the literature using fluorescence detection.     

Determination of polyamines in urine of normal human and cancer patients by capillary gas chromatography

A capillary gas chromatographic method is described for the determination of polyamines (putrescine, spermidine and spermine) in the urine of normal human and cancer patients. Morning urine after acid hydrolysis is cleaned up on a silica gel column and derivatized with trifluoroacetic-anhydride. Creatinine in human urine is used as internal standard. Recoveries of polyamines are 96.7% putrescine, 102.6% spermidine (Spd), and 98.7% spermine. SD of the method for Spd is 1.949 +/- 0.041 (micrograms/mg creatinine, mean +/- SD, n = 5). The results show that the mean level of polyamines in cancer patients urine is much higher than that in normal human urine. The mean of total polyamines in the normal human and the cancer patients is 2.01 and 44.74, respectively (g/mg creatinine).     

高效液相色谱法测定人胎盘中的多胺

本文研究了一种简单而又快速的处理人胎盘的方法。用苯甲酰氯进行柱前衍生，衍生的多胺用反相高效液相色谱进行分离分析，最佳的衍生试剂的用量是７μｌ，衍生温度为３６．５℃。分析表明，老化胎盘中的精脒、精胺的含量比正常胎盘的要高得多，它们之间的差异非常显著；而正常胎盘中三种多胺含量和钙化胎盘的相比确无明显差异。这一结论可为临床检验胎盘老化与否提供科学依据。     

High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of free and total polyamines in human serum as fluorescamine derivatives

A highly sensitive and simple fluorimetric method for the determination of free and total polyamines, spermidine, spermine, putrescine and cadaverine, in human serum by high-performance liquid chromatography is described. The polyamines, obtained after clean-up of deproteinized serum by Cellex P column chromatography, are converted to their fluorescamine derivatives in the presence of nickel ion which inhibits the reaction of interfering amines with fluorescamine, and the derivatives are separated simultaneously by reversed-phase chromatography (LiChrosorb RP-18) with a linear gradient elution. The lower limits of detection are 10 and 15 pmole for spermine and the others in 0.5 ml of serum, respectively.     

Synthese von selektiv N- funktionalisierten Polyamin-Derivaten

Synthesis of Selectively N-Functionalized Polyamine Derivatives A threefold differently protected derivative 8 of the triamine spermidine ( 2 ) has been prepared in three steps starting from propane-1,3-diamine ( 1 ). The protected spermidine derivative 8 was converted to its spermine analogue 12 , a useful polyamine intermediate. In a convergent way, the fourfold differently protected derivative 18 of the tetraamine spermine ( 3 ) has been obtained by coupling the two different and separately prepared propane-1,3-diamine units 15 and 17 . Spermidine derivative 19 and spermine derivative 20 , both selectively protected at both primary amino groups, have been Prepared from the free polyamines 2 and 3 , respectively, in a direct approach.     

Reversed-phase liquid chromatographic separation and simultaneous fluorimetric detection of polyamines and their monoacetyl derivatives in human and animal urine, serum and tissue samples: an improved, rapid and sensitive method for routine application

A highly sensitive and precise method for the determination of the polyamines putrescine, cadaverine, spermidine and spermine and all their monoacetyl derivatives in a single analysis in human and animal urine, serum and tissue samples is described. For polyamine separation, an ion-pairing reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method is used, followed by post-column derivatization with o-phthalaldehyde and consecutive fluorescence detection. Urine and serum samples are purified with a Bond Elut silica cartridge. The detection limit for polyamines is 0.5-1.0 pmol and excellent linearity is achieved in the range from 3 pmol up to more than 10 nmol. The influence of some modifications of different analytical steps such as the temperature of the HPLC column and the derivatization reaction coil and the o-phthalaldehyde flow-rate is described. Quality control data and measurements of the reproducibility of the method are presented. In order to establish a rapid analytical method for easy routine use, all steps for preparation and quantitative analysis are minimized. This method was applied to the determination of total polyamines in human urine and serum hydrolysate and of free and acetylated polyamines in human urine and pancreatic tissue of the rat. Values for normal polyamine concentrations in the urine and serum of fifteen male and fifteen female healthy volunteers and in the pancreas of ten normal rats are presented.     

Naturally occurring polyamines: interaction with macromolecules

The naturally occurring polyamines, spermine [NH2(CH2)3NH(CH2)4NH(CH2)3NH2] and spermidine [NH2(CH2)3NH(CH2)4NH2], as well as the diamine putrescine [NH2(CH2)4NH2], are widely spread in nature. They occur in plants, micro-organisms and animal tissues and fulfil many important physiological functions. Due to their cationic nature they interact with negatively charged macromolecules such nucleic acids, phospholipids and proteins. This ionic interaction, which is reversible, leads to the stabilization of DNA, tRNA, membranes and some proteins. Early studies demonstrated that polyamines stimulate the growth of pro- and eukaryotic cells and that they play an important role in carcinogenesis and in malignant transformation processes. As a result of these studies various inhibitors of polyamine biosynthesis have been synthesized and are used to combat cancer and parasitic diseases (e.g., African sleeping sickness).     

Representative applications of heparin-sepharose in the removal of polyamines from biological materials

Many experimental systems would greatly benefit from the availability of a simple and effective technique to remove polyamines from biological materials. We have examined the possibility of utilizing heparin-sepharose in the removal of polyamines from rat heart mitochondria, DNA-spermine complex, and fetal calf serum. Heparin-sepharose removes 90% of spermine adsorbed to the cytoplasmic surface of rat heart mitochondria. Heparin-sepharose almost totally removes spermine from DNA-spermine complex, leaving less than 0.003 mol spermine/mol DNA phosphorus. Heparin-sepharose is highly effective in removing spermine and spermidine (99.5 and 95% adsorbed, respectively) from fetal calf serum. Under the same experimental conditions only 50% of putrescine is adsorbed. A higher amount of resin corresponding to an increased capacity for putrescine must be used to achieve a satisfactory removal of putrescine.