Topical Spermine And Putrescine Stimulated DNA Synthesis In The Hairless Mouse Epidermis

Topical application of polyamines, specifically putrescine and spermine, stimulated DNA synthesis in the epidermis of hairless mice, as evidenced by increased thymidine incorporation. This effect was observed both with and without pretreatment using a potent topical steroid, which was used to reduce endogenous polyamine biosynthesis and enhance sensitivity to exogenous polyamines. The study confirmed that topical steroids depleted ornithine decarboxylase activity, a key enzyme in polyamine biosynthesis, following UV-B induction. These findings supported the hypothesis that polyamines play a role in DNA synthesis control and suggested that corticosteroids might influence proliferative skin disorders through this mechanism.