Polyamine metabolism in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

We have previously shown that polyamines have profound effects on lymphocyte proliferation and function. We now report that the proliferative response of cultured lymphocytes from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia is abrogated by the addition of diacetyldiaminohexane (HMBA), the 6-carbon analogue of diacetylputrescine. In addition, this study demonstrates the post-translational modification of proteins by polyamines in CLL-lymphocytes, a decrease in the uptake of exogenous spermidine by CLL-lymphocytes which have been exposed to HMBA, and the significant conversion of spermidine to N1-acetylspermidine in CLL-lymphocytes.