SPERMINE PROMOTES THE SURVIVAL OF PRIMARY CULTURED BRAIN NEURONS

The effects of polyamines on the survival of hippocampal and cerebellar neurons in primary culture were investigated. Putrescine and spermidine showed no effects on the neuronal survival, while spermine increased significantly the number of surviving neurons in both hippocampal and cerebellar cultures. The concentration-effect curve for spermine was bell-shaped with the maximum effect at a concentration of 10(-8) M. The survival-promoting effect of spermine was blocked by ifenprodil, an antagonist at the polyamine site of the NMDA receptor channel complex. These results suggest that spermine exerts trophic effects on brain neurons through an ifenprodil-sensitive mechanism.