Enhancement of lysozyme stability and activity by polyamines

in Biochimie (2004), 86(9-10, Sep-Oct), 651-656

Spermine, a low molecular weight polyamine, administered orally to suckling rats induces the maturation of the small intestine. In this organ, lysozyme is an important component of the innate immunity. In ... [more ▼]

Spermine, a low molecular weight polyamine, administered orally to suckling rats induces the maturation of the small intestine. In this organ, lysozyme is an important component of the innate immunity. In this report, we analysed the binding of spermine to lysozyme and its effect on thermal inactivation of the protein by spectroscopy techniques. The activity of the enzyme was analysed in presence of spermine by lysoplate technique. We studied the effects of spermine ingestion by suckling rats on intestinal lysozyme activity and gene expression. We reported that spermine binds to lysozyme and increases in vitro the thermal stability and the activity of the protein. When administered orally to suckling rats, spermine increases the lysozyme activity in jejunum, but not in ileum. This increase is not due to a modification of the gene expression. The observed effects lead us to postulate that spermine could be used in some mammals as a promoter of the innate immunity. (C) 2004 Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved. [less ▲]

Spermine induces precocious development of the spleen in mice

in Experimental Physiology (2002), 87(1), 69-75

Spermine is a low molecular weight polyamine involved in the postnatal maturation of the gut. When it is administered orally to suckling rats, it induces maturation of the intestinal tract (liver ... [more ▼]

Spermine is a low molecular weight polyamine involved in the postnatal maturation of the gut. When it is administered orally to suckling rats, it induces maturation of the intestinal tract (liver, pancreas and small intestine). Here we show that this polyamine is able to induce precocious intestinal and splenic development in suckling mice. In fact, in 15-day-old mice which had received spermine orally twice daily for 3 days we observed an increase in the ratio of white pulp surface to total spleen surface in comparison with untreated mice. The two macrophage subsets of the marginal zone and the B-cell population were more developed and reached the development level of 5- or 10-week-old mice. The proliferation rate of B-cells was increased by spermine administration to pups. These observations suggest that spermine might play a role in immune system development; further investigation of its effects are intended, namely the evaluation of its capacity to enhance defence during the neonatal period. [less ▲]

Effect of dietary polyamines and amino acids on the polyamine content of rat milk

in Morgan, D.; Hirvi, T.; Dandrifosse, Guy (Eds.) et al COST 917 Biologically active amines in food. Volume VI: Biologically active amines: metabolism and physiology and Biologically active amines in food processing and production of biologically active amines by bacteria (2002)

Spermine-Induced Alteration of Small Intestine in Suckling Rat: Involvement of Apoptosis or Zn2+ Enzymes?

in Digestive Diseases & Sciences (2001), 46(11), 2490-8

Polyamines are of great importance in several physiological processes, such as cell proliferation and differentiation. The ingestion of spermine by suckling rats induces precocious maturation of their ... [more ▼]

Polyamines are of great importance in several physiological processes, such as cell proliferation and differentiation. The ingestion of spermine by suckling rats induces precocious maturation of their small intestine. Shortly after ingestion, spermine produces cell elimination at the villous top. The origin of this exfoliation was investigated to determine whether it was due to apoptosis. Wistar rats were orally treated with spermine. Apoptosis was analyzed in their small intestine by Tdt-mediated dUTP-fluorescein nick-end labeling reaction, caspase-3-like analysis, and DNA laddering. Polyamine content was measured by HPLC. The intestinal transitory alteration appeared as soon as 2 hr after spermine administration. Apoptosis events increased strongly at the same moment in the small intestine. They were evidenced by Tdt-mediated dUTP-fluorescein nick-end labeling analysis, DNA laddering, and caspase-3-like activity. Changes observed are consistent with apoptosis, but caspase inhibitor did not reduce intestinal alteration, as did Zn2+ chelator. [less ▲]

Use of fluorescent polyethylene glycols (PEGs) to assess intestinal permeability in vitro

in Pflügers Archiv : European Journal of Physiology (2001), 442(5), 187

Spermine induces precocious development of the spleen in Wistar rat

in Trends in Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology (2001), 8

Maturation of the small intestine is induced by spermine but not by other similar amines

Conference (2000, September 19)

The concentration of polyamines in human blood : a reinvestigation

Poster (2000, April 13)

Are Milk Polyamines Preventive Agents against Food Allergy?

in Proceedings of the Nutrition Society (2000), 59(1), 81-6

Insufficient polyamine intake could play a role in the induction of sensitization to dietary allergens. This proposal is based essentially on investigations made in sucking rats and in children. In ... [more ▼]

Insufficient polyamine intake could play a role in the induction of sensitization to dietary allergens. This proposal is based essentially on investigations made in sucking rats and in children. In sucking rats it has been established that oral administration of spermine can induce all the modifications occurring in the digestive tract at weaning. In the intestine events occur in two phases. The early event consists of desquamation of the epithelium resulting from an activation of apoptosis. The late event appears to involve an hormonal cascade in which adrenocorticotropic hormone, cytokines, bombesin and corticosterone are included. Observations in human subjects show that: (1) the spermine and spermidine concentrations are generally lower in infant formulas than in human breast milk. Mothers seem consistently to have relatively high or relatively low concentrations of spermine and spermidine in their milk. These individual variations may be due to diet, lifestyle or genetic background; (2) the probability of developing allergy can reach 80 % if the mean spermine concentration in the milk is lower than 2 nmol/ml milk. It is approximately 0 % if the mean spermine concentration is higher than 13 nmol/ml milk; (3) preliminary results show that the intestinal permeability to macromolecules differs in premature babies when they are fed on breast milk compared with infant formulas (J Senterre, J Rigo, G Forget, G Dandrifosse and N Romain, unpublished results). This difference does not seem to be present when powdered milk is supplemented with polyamines at the concentration found in breast milk; (4) spermine increases proliferation and differentiation of lymphocytes isolated from the tonsils of children. [less ▲]

Biocompatibility of polyethylene glycols (PEG): An approach using bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a protein model.

in Pflügers Archiv : European Journal of Physiology (2000), 440