Relaxant Effect of Spermidine on Acethylcholine and High K⁺-induced Gastric Contractions of Guinea-Pig

Modulatory effect of intestinal polyamines and trace amines on the spontaneous phasic contractions of the isolated ileum and colon rings of mice

“…Our reference for the time of incubation was taken from that necessary to modify the spontaneous motility, whose mechanism we are trying to elucidate. Of the amines assayed, up to 3 mM, only spermine in the colon and isoamylamine in the ileum and colon caused significant relaxation of KCl-elicited sustained contraction, suggesting a weak interference with Ca 2+ permeability, as in previous reports for the gastrointestinal tract [ 20 , 40 , 57 ] and other nonvascular smooth muscles [ 18 , 19 , 58 ]. The mild effect produced indicates that the smooth muscle is not the main target of these amines in inhibiting the spontaneous motility nor was the nervous system involved in this spermine effect.…”

“…They were studied with regard to their effects on the epithelial absorption of nutrients [ 8 ], and their potential effect in inflammatory bowel diseases [ 38 ] and colon cancer adenomas [ 12 ]. Polyamines have also been reported to modulate gastrointestinal smooth muscle contractions [ 13 , 14 , 39 ] and spontaneous motility [ 20 , 21 , 40 ], based mainly on longitudinal preparations.…”

Amine variations in faecal content in the first weeks of life of newborns in relation to breast-feeding or infant formulas

“…The greater concentration of polyamines and primary amines in faeces, among other mechanisms, could explain the reduction in the frequency of stools and the alteration in faecal consistency in infant formula feeding. This seems to suggest the decrease in motility shown on segmentation contractions and peristalsis of isolated intestinal tissues (30,31) (with effects on the intestinal digestion and absorption of nutrients) and the gastrointestinal benefits for children's diarrhoea, when the solutions for oral rehydration or infant formulas were supplemented with polyamines (83) . These effects could be receptor dependent, being involved in the crosstalk between the microbiota and intestinal function (84) , since trace amine-associated receptors for cadaverine, isoamylamine and tyramine have been reported in the gut (32) .…”

“…Besides trophic effects, polyamines and biogenic primary amines present in the intestinal content modulate spontaneously initiated gastrointestinal motility in the smooth muscle/interstitial cells of Cajal/platelet-derived growth factor receptor-positive cells (SIP) syncytium (30) . This may facilitate gastric emptying and drive segmentation and peristalsis of the intestine (30,31) , having a complementary role in the digestion and absorption of nutrients in the microvilli. But neither the specific cellular location (SIP syncytium, enteric innervation and/or smooth muscle cells) for the functional effects of biogenic amines nor the specific chemosensory system receptors have yet been identified.…”