European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

REGULATORY ROLES OF POLYAMINES AND ORNITHINE DECARBOXYLASE IN THE GROWTH OF CANCER CELLS

Raymond R. Tjandrawinata*

ABSTRACT

Polyamines play an important role in cellular proliferation. These major amine molecules are natural and biologically active inside and outside the cells, which include putrescine, spermidine, spermine and their metabolites such as N-acetyl spermidine and N-acetyl spermine. The rate limiting step of polyamine synthesis is the decarboxylation of ornithine to form putrescine by ornithine decarboxylase (ODC; EC 4.1.1.17). Increases in ODC activity are one of the early changes observed in cells stimulated to grow and these increases precede changes in DNA synthesis by several hours, making ODC an ‘immediate early’ response gene. ODC activity has been found to be regulated at several levels, to include the formation of antizyme and antizyme inhibitors as ODC regulatory molecules. This review takes a look into the roles of polyamines and ODC as the regulators of cellular growth and profileration. Their roles in the development of cancer are also discussed in detail.

Keywords: polyamines, ornithine decarboxylase, antizyme, antizyme inhibitor, cancer.