Changes in ornithine decarboxylase activity in normal tissues of tumor-bearing mice during tumor growth.

The ornithine decarboxylase [EC 4.1.1.17] activities in the liver and spleen of tumor-bearing mice increased remarkably, reaching a peak 4 to 6 days after inoculation of tumor cells. On the contrary, the enzyme activity in the kidney decreased during tumor growth and had almost disappeared on day 6 after tumor inoculation. Injection of cell-free tumor homogenate also raised the enzyme activities in the liver and spleen, but did not change the activity in the kidney. No increase in enzyme activity in the liver of mice was observed on injection of homogenates of normal tissues, such as liver, spleen, kidney, and muscle.