Polyamines in relation to human benign breast rectal ovarian and endometrial tumour.

It is evident that di and polyamines are intimately related to growth processes (1-3). Actively dividing mammalian cells contain higher levels of polyamines than slowly growing or quiscent cells (4,5). Polyamine levels rise In different malignancies ((3,7). On the other hand, activity of Diamine oxidase (DAO; EC 1.4.3.6) increases in human carcinomatous growths as well as in experimental neoplasms (8). HeLa cell proliferation increases with addition of DAO in tissue culture, although DAO degrades putrescine released from cells (9). Alphadifluromethylornithine (DFMO), an inhibitor of polyamine biosynthesis also did not inhibit proliferation of cells in rat brain tumour (0); moreover, DFMO can selectively suppress putrescine (11). Further, metastasis of cancer is inhibited by injection of putrescine (12) and polyamine deprivation prevents the development of tumour induced immune suppression (13). In view of these conflicting reports, the present investigation was planned to analyse the polyamine concentrations of different benign tumours as compared to their concentration in surrounding tissues.