Determination of putrescine, spermine and spermidine in human tissues of prostate and kidney.

Polyamines react with o-phthalaldehyde forming intensely blue fluorescing condensation products with an activation maximum at 340 nm. Tissue concentrations of polyamines can be detected by cation exchange analysis and putrescine, spermine and spermidine were assayed in specimens of benign hyperplasia of prostate and renal adenocarcinoma and in normal control tissues. Comparison of results on polyamines in normal prostate and kidney tissues revealed significant differences, and changes of polyamines are discussed in relation to hyperplastic and neoplastic growth.