Determination of diamines and polyamines in tissues by high-pressure liquid chromatography

The 5-dimethylaminonaphthalene-1-sulfonyl (dansyl) derivatives of 1,2-diaminoethane, 1,3-diaminopropane, 1,4-diaminobutane (putrescine), spermidine and spermine have been separated by high-pressure liquid chromatography on a Micropak CN-10 column using a programmed solvent gradient elution. The column eluate is monitored by a fluorescence detector. This method has been used to determine the levles of putrescine, spermidine and spermine in various tissues of rats and in L 1210 leukemic cells of mice grown in culture. The technique is sufficiently sensitive to detect ca. 40pmoles of putrescine and ca. 20 pmoles of spermidine and spermine, is quite specific and can be performed rapidly.