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National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

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Your Environment. Your Health.

Publication Detail

Title: The natural polyamine spermine functions directly as a free radical scavenger.

Authors: Ha, H C; Sirisoma, N S; Kuppusamy, P; Zweier, J L; Woster, P M; Casero Jr, R A

Published In Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, (1998 Sep 15)

Abstract: The polyamines are small organic cations that are absolutely required for eukaryotic cell growth. Although their growth requirements are well established, the molecular functions of the polyamines are ill-defined. Oxidative damage to DNA by reactive oxygen species is a continual problem that cells must guard against to survive. The polyamine spermine, which is normally found in millimolar concentrations in the nucleus, is shown here to function directly as a free radical scavenger, and adducts formed as a result of this function are identified. These data suggest that spermine is a major natural intracellular compound capable of protecting DNA from free radical attack.

PubMed ID: 9736703 Exiting the NIEHS site

MeSH Terms: No MeSH terms associated with this publication

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