Spermine and spermidine are cytotoxic towards intestinal cell cultures, but are they a health hazard at concentrations found in foods?. (15th December 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: del Rio, Beatriz; Redruello, Begoña; Linares, Daniel M.; Ladero, Victor; Ruas-Madiedo, Patricia; Fernandez, Maria; Martin, M. Cruz; Alvarez, Miguel A.
• Is Part Of: Food chemistry. Volume 269(2018)
• Page Start: 321
• Page End: 326
• Publication Date: 2018-12-15
• Subjects: Spermine (PubChem CID1103) -- Spermidine (PubChem CID1102); Biogenic amines -- Cytotoxicity -- Food safety -- Spermine -- Spermidine -- IC50 -- NOAEL -- LOAEL; Food -- Analysis -- Periodicals; Food -- Composition -- Periodicals; 664
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.06.148
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0308-8146

Abstract

Highlights: The in vitro cytotoxicity of spermine and spermidine was determined. Spermine was 5.5 times more cytotoxic than spermidine. Spermine and spermidine caused intestinal cell necrosis but not apoptosis. Both polyamines were not cytotoxic at the highest concentrations found in foods. Abstract: Spermine and spermidine are polyamines (PA) naturally present in all organisms, in which they have important physiological functions. However, an excess of PA has been associated with health risks. PA accumulates at quite high concentrations in some foods, but a quantitative assessment of the risk they pose has been lacking. In the present work, the cytotoxicity of spermine and spermidine was evaluated using an in vitro human intestinal cell model, and employing real-time cell analysis. Both spermine and spermidine showed a dose-dependent cytotoxic effect towards the cultured cells, with necrosis the mode of action of spermidine and perhaps also that of spermine. Spermine was more cytotoxic than spermidine, but for both PA the concentrations found to be toxic were above the maximum at which they have been found in food. The present results do not, therefore, support the idea that spermine or spermidine in food is harmful to healthy people.