The Emerging Clinical Role of Spermine in Prostate Cancer

Peng, Qiang; Wong, Christine Yim-Ping; Cheuk, Isabella Wai-yin; Teoh, Jeremy Yuen-Chun; Chiu, Peter Ka-Fung; Ng, Chi-Fai

doi:10.3390/ijms22094382

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The Emerging Clinical Role of Spermine in Prostate Cancer

by

Qiang Peng

,

Christine Yim-Ping Wong

,

Isabella Wai-yin Cheuk

,

Jeremy Yuen-Chun Teoh

,

Peter Ka-Fung Chiu

^*

and

Chi-Fai Ng

^*

SH Ho Urology Centre, Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

^*

Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(9), 4382; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22094382

Submission received: 21 March 2021 / Revised: 19 April 2021 / Accepted: 19 April 2021 / Published: 22 April 2021

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tumor Immunology & Immunotherapy)

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Abstract

Spermine, a member of polyamines, exists in all organisms and is essential for normal cell growth and function. It is highly expressed in the prostate compared with other organs and is detectable in urine, tissue, expressed prostatic secretions, and erythrocyte. A significant reduction of spermine level was observed in prostate cancer (PCa) tissue compared with benign prostate tissue, and the level of urinary spermine was also significantly lower in men with PCa. Decreased spermine level may be used as an indicator of malignant phenotype transformation from normal to malignant tissue in prostate. Studies targeting polyamines and key rate-limiting enzymes associated with spermine metabolism as a tool for PCa therapy and chemoprevention have been conducted with various polyamine biosynthesis inhibitors and polyamine analogues. The mechanism between spermine and PCa development are possibly related to the regulation of polyamine metabolism, cancer-driving pathways, oxidative stress, anticancer immunosurveillance, and apoptosis regulation. Although the specific mechanism of spermine in PCa development is still unclear, ongoing research in spermine metabolism and its association with PCa pathophysiology opens up new opportunities in the diagnostic and therapeutic roles of spermine in PCa management.

Keywords: prostate cancer; spermine; polyamine; cancer metabolism; biomarker

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MDPI and ACS Style

Peng, Q.; Wong, C.Y.-P.; Cheuk, I.W.-y.; Teoh, J.Y.-C.; Chiu, P.K.-F.; Ng, C.-F. The Emerging Clinical Role of Spermine in Prostate Cancer. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22, 4382. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22094382

AMA Style

Peng Q, Wong CY-P, Cheuk IW-y, Teoh JY-C, Chiu PK-F, Ng C-F. The Emerging Clinical Role of Spermine in Prostate Cancer. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2021; 22(9):4382. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22094382

Chicago/Turabian Style

Peng, Qiang, Christine Yim-Ping Wong, Isabella Wai-yin Cheuk, Jeremy Yuen-Chun Teoh, Peter Ka-Fung Chiu, and Chi-Fai Ng. 2021. "The Emerging Clinical Role of Spermine in Prostate Cancer" International Journal of Molecular Sciences 22, no. 9: 4382. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22094382

APA Style

Peng, Q., Wong, C. Y.-P., Cheuk, I. W.-y., Teoh, J. Y.-C., Chiu, P. K.-F., & Ng, C.-F. (2021). The Emerging Clinical Role of Spermine in Prostate Cancer. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 22(9), 4382. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22094382

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