Abstract
S-Adenosyl-3-thiopropylamine (ATPA) damaged all three cell lines examined. The toxic effect was dependent on the kind of serum added in the culture medium. The serum dependency was closely related to the monoamine oxidase activity in the serum. ATPA was significantly oxidized in the calf serum which is rich in the enzyme activity. Detection of acrolein, a potent cytotoxic aldehyde, from incubation mixtures containing ATPA and calf or horse serum supported a hypothesis that release of acrolein from oxidized ATPA may be responsible for the toxic effect of ATPA.
