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Abstract
In 1678 Antonie van Leeuwenhoek identified crystalline substances in human semen.
The structure of these crystals, named "spermine", was not elucidated by Rosenheim
until 250 years later. Subsequently a triamine (spermidine) and a diamine (putrescine;
1,4-diaminobutane) were isolated from prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems. Soon it
became apparent that polyamines can promote the growth of fastidious bacteria. Subsequently
a group in Helsinki studied the accumulation of polyamines in regenerating rat liver,
while Caldarera and his group studied polyamine synthesis in the developing chick
embryo. These investigations led to metabolic studies. Ornithine decarboxylase was
identified as a key enzyme in polyamine biosynthesis, while polyamine and diamine
oxidations were studied by Mondovì. alpha-Diflouromethylornithine (DFMO) was synthesized
by Merrell-Dow and became a potent inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase. The findings
of Russell that polyamines are excreted in the urine of cancer patients drew the attention
of oncologists, who attempted the use new technologies for the detection of cancer
and improving therapy. With the advance of molecular biology the structure of polyamine-biosynthetic
enzymes was elaborated. Plants served as another important tool to study the physiological
functions of polyamines. Bagni and his group at Bologna were pioneers in that field
and for more than forty-six years set the foundation of a most interesting discipline.
2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.