Determination of amino acids and polyamines in human erythrocytes. Part 2. Clinical application.

1) A rapid and high sensitive method for quantitation of free amino acids and poly-. amines in human erythrocytes using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was devised by the author and his colleagues. 2) Measurement of free amino acids in erythrocytes was performed on 12 patients on our ward. Marked change in amino acid pattern was observed, and there are 2 in whom the prognosis of disease was not favorable. The amino acid pattern was generally constant in the remaining 10 patients. 3) The polyamine levels in erythrocytes of 15 patients who had undergone surgical operation were determined, and it was noted that the value began to incre::ise from immediately after surgery in those whose postoperative course was good, and peaked 7 to 10 days after the operation, after which it gradually reverted to the preoperation level. In those who developed complications after operation, the pattern was different from Pattern 1. 4) No difference in polyamine value could be demonstrated between 9 cancer patients and 7 non-cancer patients. 5) A correlation between polyamine values in erythrocytes and erythrocyte aging was observed with the value being higher in young erythrocytes, i.e. reticulocytes, and low in those about to break-down. Thus, it was considered that if hematopoietic action was accelerated due to bleeding during and after operation, the polyamine values would be elevated, but if hematopoiesis was not active, the polyamine values would be low. 6) The Spm value in leucocytes was comparatively higher than that in erythrocytes, and this finding was also confirmed in clinical cases. 127 INTRODUCTION values precede increase of RNA and cell division in actively proliferating tissue. Amino acids are used as material for protein synthesis, and is administered by intra venous and enteral hyperalimentation. On the other hand, polyamines are synthesized from ornithine and s-adenosyl-methionine, but there is a correlation in volume between them and nucleic acid-protein synthesis in tissue. It has been suggested that polyamines serve as a priming agent for cell proliferation, and increase in their Russel et al. (1971) and Uehara et al. (1980) contended that determination of polyamines in urine and in erythrocytes of cancer patients was helpful in the establishment of diagnosis. Uehara et al. also claims that their erythrocyte value decreased after surgical operation. Therefore, it is considered to be an important substance from the clinical viewpoint. In our previous report19>, we described our analytical meth-