Induction of ornithine decarboxylase in mouse tissues following the injection of mitogenic substances. Enhancement by actinomycin D.

Experiments were carried out to study the mechanism of the induction of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) in mouse tissues by the injection of a lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In addition to LPS, various mitogenic substances, such as concanavalin A, pokeweed mitogen, polyI:polyC and a phorbol diester, induced ODC in the liver and the spleen of mice at 4.5 hr after injection. Non-mitogenic immuno-stimulants or inflammatory agents, such as zymosan, carrageenan, N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine, glycogen, D-galactosamine and interferon, did not induce the enzyme. ODC induction by LPS in C3H/HeJ mice, the lymphocytes and/or macrophages of which are known to be less responsive to LPS, was much less than in C3H/He and ddI mice. ODC induction by LPS was suppressed by dexamethasone and cycloheximide. Actinomycin D did not suppress ODC induction by LPS but, rather, enhanced it. These results suggest that (1) lymphocytes and/or macrophages may participate in the induction of ODC by mitogenic substances as well as by LPS, (2) ODC may be induced by mitogenic substances without the synthesis of RNA, and (3) the translation of existing RNA may be accelerated by actinomycin D.