Relationship among red blood cell polyamine content, phagocytic activities and plasma endotoxins in untreated colorectal cancer patients.

Polyamines are actively involved in immune processes and it is known that patients with cancer often exhibit immune deficits. Twenty-two patients with colorectal cancer were enrolled into this study, before starting conventional treatments. The relationship among the content of polyamines in red blood cells and phagocytosis and killing of monocytes and polymorphonuclear cells, and endotoxemia was investigated. The data show a negative correlation among levels of total polyamines and spermine and monocyte phagocytosis. Higher levels of spermine were present in patients with detectable circulating endotoxins. Our findings suggest a down-modulating effect of polyamines on the monocyte phagocytosis in untreated colorectal cancer patients; this effect could explain the presence of circulating endotoxins in cancer bearing patients.