• BMB Reports
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.173-180
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• 1999

The effects of agmatine on the enzymes responsible for the biosynthesis of polyamines, the resultant levels of polyamines, and their effect on the growth of DU145 human prostate tumor cells were investigated. When agmatine was added to the medium, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC, EC 4.1.1.17) activity was substantially reduced, but S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC, EC 4.1.1.50) activity increased markedly. These changes in ODC and SAMDC activities were the result of an induction of ODC-antizyme and a decreased turnover rate of SAMDC in the presence of agmatine. Accordingly, there was a decrease in the intracellular levels of putrescine and spermidine but an increase in the intracellular level of spermine. Cell growth was markedly inhibited by agmatine treatment and this inhibition was not recovered by the addition of putrescine or spermidine. Our results suggest that agmatine alters the intracellular amounts of polyamine in the cells, closely related to the inhibition of cell growth.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.265-271
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• 1997

Since the advent of chemotherapy, certain types of cancer have been particularly resistant to chemotherapeutic treatment. One of the most well-studied types of resistance is resistance to multiple struc-turally dissimialr hydrophobic chemotherapeutic agents, or multidrug resistance (MDR). We found that MDR cells (KBV20C, KB7D) being highly resistant to colchicine, etoposide, and vincristine were found to have very low level of putrescine and low level of spermidine than the drug sensitive parental cells (KB) but they had almost same level of spermine as the drug sensitive cells. Although both MDR and drug sensitive cells had almost same rate of polyamine uptake, MDR cells were much more sensitive to an inhibitor of polyamine synthesis, methylglyoxal-bis guanylhydrazone (MGBG), suggesting that MDR cells might be defective in polyamine synthesis. These results also suggest that HGBG can be used for treatment of MDR in vivo.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.243-251
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• 1990

Polyamine titers and the activities of arginine decarboxylase(ADC) and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), enzymes which catalyze rate-limiting steps in polyamine biosynthesis, were investigated during polar regeneration of Populus leaf segments. The polar regeneration occurred at the basal cut end of Populus leaf segments through cell division around the vascular bundle. In the process of polar regeneration, the titers of putrescine and spermidine increased rapidly but the content of spermine remained constant. The leaf segments were then divided into three separte part ; the proximal, middle and distal. Spermidine titers showed an increase mainly in the proximal parts where polar regeneration occurred. On the other hand, putrescine titers showed an increase in the other two parts. In the course of polar regeneration, the activities of ADC and ODC increased, the ADC activities being higher than those of ODC. However, ODC activity was higher in the proximal part. Therefore, the spermidine contents and ODC activities are suggested to be related to polar regeneration in Populus leaf segments.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 1984

Kinetin(4.7$\times$10\ulcornerM) and 6-benzylaminopurine (2.2$\times$10\ulcornerM) were found to increase ca. 1.5-fold putrescice content in corn grown in medium containing kinetin and 6-benzylaminopurine(6-BAP) for 3days whereas kinetin was found to decrase ca. 30% spermidine and spermine, respectively. KCI (3$\times$10\ulcornerM) was found to decrease more than 50% putrescine content. After germination, ornithine decarboxylase activity was observed to increase constantly whereas arginine decarboxylase activity remained constant, suggesting involvement in putrescine biosynthesis. 6-benzylaminopurine was shown to increase more activities of arginine ornithine decarboxylase than kinetin when they were added to medium.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.67-75
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• 1986

An experimental system for the possibility of association between cultured plant cells and a cyanobacterium (N. muscorum) was investigated. The association was established in nitrogen-free medium, and nitrogen source was provided by N. muscorum through its own nitrogen fixation. N. muscorum was distributed on the outer part and intercellular spaces of the cultured plant cells. Polyamines were treated to the nitrogen-free medium to improve the association. Polyamines increased nitrogenase activity and protein amount in the association between N. muscorum and the cultured plant cells, as compared to the association without polyamines. Especially, spermine showed an increasing effect on the nitrogenase activity and the protein content in the association of tobacco and N. muscorum, while spermidine showed similar effect in case of soybean and N. muscorum.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.19-27
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• 1993

Effects of polyamines on DNA synthesis were studied in synchronized culture of Nicotiana tabacum L. When DFMO and DFMA, inhibitors of ornithine decarboxylase and arginine decarboxylase, respectively were initially applied to the cells, the polyamine contents were rapidly dropped and [methyl-3H] thymidine incorporation into DNA was markedly reduced during the early stage of culture period. Inhibition of DNA synthesis, however, was partially reversed when these inhibitors were applied simultaneously with putrescine. In addition, exogenous administration of putrescine also increased the DNA synthesis during the all over the culture period. In vitro activity of DNA polymerase from Nicotiana tabacum L. was promoted by increasing concentrations of polyamines in the reaction mixture. Maximal activity was shown at 5 mM putrscine, 0.5 mM spermidine and spermine, respectively. Lack of Mg2+ ion in the reaction buffer resulted in an inhibition of the enzyme activity by about 30%. The inhibition could not be completely reversed by application of polyamines at optimal concentrations. These results suggest that polyamines promote the DNA synthesis in vivo and in vitro by stabilizing the DNA-helix upon binding to negatively charged groups on DNA or increasing the activity of DNA polymerase in Nicotiana tabacum L.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1998

This study was conducted to establish mass propagation system from the axillary bud culture of chrysanthemum zawadskii H. which was used as material of medicinal plants. Shoot egeneration was better on MS medium with NAA and BA. The optimum concentraions of growth regulator for shoot regeneration differed depending on accessionsof C. Zawadskii. Shoot regeneration in Keungucheolcho was better on MS Medium with NAA 0.01mg/1 and BA 0.1mg/1 while Hyangrobonggucheocho was better with NAA 0.1mg/1and BA 0.3mg/1. Addition of NAA into medium was effective for induction of root from shoots regenerated. Shoot multiplcation was more effective when 10mg/1 spermine was added into medium than when other polyamines were treated ino medium . Randomly and specifically amplified polymorphic DAC banding patterns based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis were used to assess the genetic variation of plants regenerated from in vitro culture.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.195-199
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• 1991

The effects or polyamines on growth, anthocyanin contents and $\beta$-glucan synthetase(GSII) activity in carrot hairy root were studied. Growth of hairy root was stimulated somewhat when each polyamine concentration was treated, especially addition of 1mM spermidine resulted in about 20% increase. On the whole, the axial diameter of hairy root was increased in response to increase in concentration of polyamine. On the other hand, GSII activity was stimulated in response to increase in concentration of polyamine, especially addition of 1mM spermine resulted in about 100% increase of activity. Therefore increased activity of GSII stimulated growth and thickness of hairy root. Anthocyanin contents were not affected by the polyammine.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.73-80
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• 1984

Palmitoyl CoA was found to inhibit corn embryo axis glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, which were also inhibites by polyamines. However, reversal of inhibition of both enzymes by palmitoyl CoA was made by spermine. Activity of corn embryo axis protein kinase was found to increase steadily after germination. Activation and inhibition of protein kinase were made by MgCl$_2$and all polymines, respectively. Suc results suggest that fatty acid biosynthesis and lypolysis could be regulated to some extent by polyamines in corn embryo axis.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.41-48
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• 1990

Changes in polamine titers during shoot differentiation in Cymbidium sp. (Jungfrau) protocorms were studied in order to investigate the mechanism of shoot differentiation by using auxin-inhibitors(PCIB, TIBA), hormones(GA3, ABA, BA), and phenolic compounds (2,4-dichlorophenol, catechol). The shoot differentiation and propagation of protocorms were promoted by PCIB or 2,4-dichlorophenol, and the growth of differentiated shoot were promoted by TIBA or catechol. In BA-treated protocorms, white or brown protocorms were observed. Putrescine was the most abundant polyamine during the propagation and differentiation processes. As compared with putrescine, spermidine did not show significant changes and spermine was not detected at all. Putrescine titers decreased after a temporary increase, and then again increased in the presence of GA3, ABA, 2,4-dichlorophenol, and then again increased in the presence of GA3, ABA, 2,4-dichlorophenol, catechol, or PCIB. But, in BA-treated protocorms, putrescine level was much lower than spermidine.