[Effect of serum polyamine oxidase on normal and tumor cells]

Serum polyamine oxidase was studied for its effect on normal and transformed fibroblasts, Erlich carcinoma, Zaidela hepatoma and experimental Svec leukaemia cells as well as on K-562 human leukaemia cells. It is found that the cell death was induced by dialdehydes generated by polyamine deamination. Autoradiographically it was shown that dialdehydes cross-link the cell plasma membranes. It is suggested that serum polyamine oxidase is one of the factors responsible for the phenomenon of constitutional resistance which provides subsequent realization of the long-term immune defence.