Polyamine alterations in blood of male homozygotes and heterozygotes for cystic fibrosis.

The polyamines, spermidine and spermine, have been measured in whole blood extracts from control volunteers, patients with cystic fibrosis, and obligate cystic fibrosis heterozygotes. Male homo- and heterozygotes for cystic fibrosis exhibit a consistent and significant decrease in blood spermine resulting in an elevated spermidine/spermine ratio when compared to control males. In contrast, control females exhibited reduced spermidine and spermine levels as compared to control males. Blood from female cystic fibrosis homo- and heterozygotes showed similar results. The sex difference is probably due to fluctiations of blood polyamines during the menstrual cycle. Abnormal polyamine levels are the first observation of an alteration of a low molecular weight metabolite characteristic of both male homo- and heterozygotes for cystic fibrosis.