Spermidine as a promising anticancer agent: Recent advances and newer insights on its molecular mechanisms

Prasher P 1 , Sharma M 2 , Singh SK 3 , Gulati M 3 , Chellappan DK 4 , Rajput R 5 Show all authors , Gupta G 6 , Ydyrys A 7 , Kulbayeva M 8 , Abdull Razis AF 9 , Modu B 10 , Sharifi-Rad J 11 , Dua K 5

Affiliations 

  • 1 Department of Chemistry, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun, India
  • 2 Department of Chemistry, Uttaranchal University, Dehradun, India
  • 3 School of Pharmaceutical Science, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, India
  • 4 School of Pharmacy, International Medical University, Bukit Jalil, Malaysia
  • 5 Faculty of Health, Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
  • 6 School of Pharmacy, Suresh Gyan Vihar University, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
  • 7 Biomedical Research Centre, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
  • 8 Department of Biophysics, Biomedicine and Neuroscience, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
  • 9 Department of Food Science, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia
  • 10 Natural Medicines and Products Research Laboratory, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia
  • 11 Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del Azuay, Cuenca, Ecuador
Front Chem, 2023;11:1164477.
PMID: 37090250 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2023.1164477

Abstract

Spermidine is a naturally occurring polyamine compound found in semen. It is also found in several plant sources and boasts a remarkable biological profile, particularly with regards to its anticancer properties. Spermidine specifically interferes with the tumour cell cycle, resulting in the inhibition of tumor cell proliferation and suppression of tumor growth. Moreover, it also triggers autophagy by regulating key oncologic pathways. The increased intake of polyamines, such as spermidine, can suppress oncogenesis and slow the growth of tumors due to its role in anticancer immunosurveillance and regulation of polyamine metabolism. Spermidine/spermine N-1-acetyltransferase (SSAT) plays a critical role in polyamine homeostasis and serves as a diagnostic marker in human cancers. Chemically modified derivatives of spermidine hold great potential for prognostic, diagnostic, and therapeutic applications against various malignancies. This review discusses in detail the recent findings that support the anticancer mechanisms of spermidine and its molecular physiology.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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