S-Adenosylmethionine decarboxylase in liver, heart and pancreas of pyridoxine-deficient chickens.

S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase activity has been measured in liver, heart and pancreas of pyridoxine-deficient chickens: in liver and heart muscle it is increased, while in pancreas the activity is unchanged with respect to control animals. Insulin induced activity in liver and in heart muscle of normal as well as of pyridoxine-deficient chickens, while in the pancreas an induction was observed in the control animals and a decrease in the deficient ones. These data appear to rule out any involvement of pyridoxal phosphate in the reaction catalyzed by S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase.