Spermine toxicity and glutathione depletion in BHK-21/C13 cells.

Spermine, a polycationic amine, produced a dose-dependent inhibition of BHK-21/C13 cell growth. This response was not due to the extracellular metabolism of spermine by an amine oxidase found in bovine serum, as the toxicity was observed when the cells were grown in medium supplemented with horse serum. Three indices were used to monitor cell growth, cell number, protein content and [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA. Spermine (2mM) caused significant reductions in all three measurements after a 6-8 hr exposure. The amine was rapidly taken up into the cells reaching levels 15-16-fold greater than in control cells within 2 hr. There was a rapid loss of intracellular reduced glutathione following exposure to toxic concentrations of spermine, which occurred before any effect on cell growth. Three methods for the determination of intracellular glutathione content were compared in this system. The effect on both cell growth and glutathione was reversible following removal of spermine from the extracellular medium. The possible mechanisms involved in this toxic response are discussed with particular reference to the depletion in intracellular reduced glutathione.