Polyamine

Polyamine metabolism is regulated by the activity of the enzyme ornithine decarboxylase (ODC).

[4] Ethyleneamines are a commercially-important class of synthetic polyamines with ethylene (−CH2CH2− linkages); global production capacity was estimated at 385,000 tonnes in 2001.

The reaction product of monoethanolamine and formaldehyde is known industrially as "MEA triazine" (it is actually a triazinane), and it serves as a water-soluble hydrogen sulfide scavenger.

In the laboratory, it reacts with alkyl halides to selectively prepare primary amines in the Delépine reaction.

This system is highly active in rapidly proliferating cells and is the target of some chemotherapeutics currently under development.

In addition, polyamine participate in initiating the expression of SOS response of Colicin E7 operon and down-regulate proteins that are essential for colicin E7 uptake, thus conferring a survival advantage on colicin-producing E. coli under stress conditions.

[14] Polyamines promote homologous recombination (HR)-mediated double-strand break (DSB) repair.

Spermidine is synthesized from putrescine, using an aminopropyl group from decarboxylated S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM), S-Adenosylmethioninamine.

Polyamine analogues upregulate p53 in a cell leading to restriction of proliferation and apoptosis.