[Changes of red blood cells' polyamines during fetal and neonatal periods (author's transl)]

Polyamines are ubiquitously distributing amines in living organs, and have close relation to nucleic acids and cell proliferation. But there are few reports about polyamines in the obstetric field. So we measured blood polyamines, i.e. putrescine, spermidine and spermine in pregnancy, delivery, puerperium and neonatal period, using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). We discuss about red blood cell polyamines because RBCs contain about 80% blood polyamines. Spermidine and spermine concentration begin to increase with pregnancy, and rapidly increase from the 5th lunar month and keep high levels during the 7-9th lunar month, the decrease at term. In puerperium, spermine, as opposed to spermidine, takes higher value than that of the term. Putrescine, however, keeps almost the same level as non-pregnangs during pregnancy and puerperium. At delivery, the umbilical blood contains significantly higher polyamines than the maternal blood, but there are no differences between umbilical artery and vein. In neonatal period, each polyamine shows slight increase at the first day after birth. Thereafter, putrescine keeps the same level till the 7th day, but spermidine and spermine gradually decrease day by day. These data suggest that polyamines are reflecting the function of bone marrow erythropoiesis and reproduction.