Opposite effects of spermidine and GC7 in cell culture are dictated by distinct molecular targets.

ABSTRACT: Spermidine (SPD) and related polyamines are small polycationic molecules typically elevated in cancer cells, where their depletion suppresses tumor growth both in vitro and in vivo. Paradoxically, SPD has also been proposed as a dietary supplement for its potential health benefits, including cancer prevention, prompting considerable interest in elucidating its mechanisms of action. In vitro studies using cultured cancer cell lines treated with exogenous SPD have yielded conflicting results, with reports of enhanced proliferation, cytotoxicity, or modulation of autophagy. To address these discrepancies, we used polyamine-depleted colorectal cancer (CRC) cells to systematically evaluate SPD's effects across a range of concentrations. Following depletion with difluoromethylornithine, SPD exhi

SUBMITTER: Tahara T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12802350 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature