Abstract

REYNOSO-OROZCO, Ramón et al. Polyamines as biomarkers of the antitumoral activity of bursera fagaroides. INCI [online]. 2008, vol.33, n.5, pp.384-388. ISSN 0378-1844.

In normal and tumoral cells, the polyamines (PAs) putrescine (Pu), spermidine (Spd) and spermine (Spm) are required in multiple fundamental cell cycle functions. High levels of PAs have been reported in many types of cancer, which is why they were proposed as biomarkers of cancer growth. In the present work, their utility as biomarkers of the evolution of the murine L5178Y lymphoma is reported in different body fluids, cells and tissues. Findings were also applied to the follow-up of the previously reported anti-tumor effect of Bursera fagaroides. Cation exchange chromatography was used to determine the PAs levels in urine, peritoneal cells, circulating lymphocytes, spleenocytes, mesothelium and liver of BALB/c mice at days 10, 17 and 24 of tumoral evolution. PAs levels were also measured in urine from mice treated, intraperitoneally or orally, with the hydroalcoholic extract of the bark of B. fagaroides. Spd and Spm urinary levels were not detectable, while Pu increase in urine is the best biomarker to detect lymphoma growth. Furthermore, Pu urinary levels decreased significantly in mice treated intraperitoneally with B. fagaroides. In this model, variations of the Pu urinary level is an effective biomarker of neoplastic growth as it allows to follow the evolution of L5178Y lymphoma, providing an in vivo assay for the antitumoral effect of B. fagaroides and other drugs.

Keywords : Bursera fagaroides; Cancer Biomarker; Murine Lymphoma; Polyamines; Putrescine.