Regulation of the expression of human ornithine decarboxylase gene and ornithine decarboxylase promoter-driven reporter gene in transgenic mice.

We have studied the regulation of the expression of ornithine decarboxylase with the aid of transgenic mice harbouring either functional human ornithine decarboxylase genes or the mouse ornithine decarboxylase promoter-driven chloramphenicol acetyltransferase fusion gene in their genome. We used three different stimuli which are well known to enhance ornithine decarboxylase activity in their appropriate target tissues: (i) testosterone in female kidney, (ii) a phorbol ester in epidermis and (iii) partial hepatectomy in liver. Endogenous mouse ornithine decarboxylase activity was strikingly stimulated in response to these treatments. Even though containing the 5' flanking region of the mouse ornithine decarboxylase gene, known to possess full promoter activity, the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter gene was entirely insensitive to any of these stimuli. The human transgene-derived ornithine decarboxylase activity in kidney was unaffected by testosterone treatment, but responded in skin to application of the phorbol ester and likewise was clearly enhanced in regenerating liver. Although mouse endogenous ornithine decarboxylase mRNA levels were distinctly elevated after testosterone, this treatment did not influence the accumulation of the human transgene-derived mRNA. The phorbol ester enhanced the accumulation of mouse endogenous ornithine decarboxylase mRNA and also that derived from the human transgene; however, the enzyme activity was stimulated in regenerating liver without appreciable changes in the levels of endogenous or transgene-derived message. Our present results strongly emphasize the central role of the coding sequence or ornithine decarboxylase gene in the induction of the enzyme activity.