Increased formation of N1-acetylspermidine in human breast cancer.

Mammary cancers were shown to contain large amounts of N1-acetylated derivatives of spermidine and spermine, whereas only small amounts of N1-acetylspermidine and no N1-acetylspermine were found in normal breast tissue. The elevated levels of monoacetylated polyamines were related to an increased activity of spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase in the tumors. Acetylated polyamines can be excreted in the urine and the present study raises the question whether these conjugates may be of any value as biological markers for neoplastic growth.