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Abstract
We measured the activity of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC), a key regulatory
enzyme of polyamine biosynthesis, in autopsied brain from 13 patients with Alzheimer's
Disease (AD). As compared with the controls, mean enzyme activity was increased by
37-96% in all seven examined brain regions with statistically significant increases
in temporal cortex (+96%), frontal cortex (+69%) and hippocampus (+90%). The elevated
SAMDC may have occurred as part of a generalized polyamine response to brain injury,
which has been previously described in experimental animal conditions. Above-normal
SAMDC activity implies increased levels/metabolism of spermidine and spermine, two
polyamines which are involved in neuronal regeneration, growth factor production,
and activation of excitatory N-methyl-D-aspartate preferring glutamate receptors.
Our data suggest the involvement of the polyamine system in the brain reparative and/or
pathogenetic mechanisms of AD.