Polyamine alterations in blood of male homozygotes and heterozygotes for cystic fibrosis.

The polyamines, spermidine and spermine, have been measured in whole blood extracts 
from control volunteers, patients with cystic fibrosis, and obligate cystic fibrosis 
heterozygotes. Male homo- and heterozygotes for cystic fibrosis exhibit a consistent 
and significant decrease in blood spermine resulting in an elevated spermidine/spermine 
ratio when compared to control males. In contrast, control females exhibited 
reduced spermidine and spermine levels as compared to control males. Blood 
from female cystic fibrosis homo- and heterozygotes showed similar results. The 
sex difference is probably due to fluctuations of blood polyamines during 
the menstrual cycle. Abnormal polyamine levels are the first observation of 
an alteration of a low molecular weight metabolite characteristic of both 
male homo- and heterozygotes for cystic fibrosis. 