Regulation of ornithine decarboxylase activity by amino acids, cyclic AMP and luteinizing hormone in cultured mammalian cells

Any one of five amino acis (alanine, asparagine, glutamine, glycine, and serine) is an essential requirement for the induction of ornithine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.17) in cultured chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells maintained with a salts/glucose, medium. Each of these amino acids induced a striking activation of ornithine decarboxylase in the presence of dibutyryl cyclic AMP and luteinizing hormone. The effect of the other amino acids was considerably less or negligible. The active amino acids at optimal concentrations (10 mM) induced only a 10-20 fold enhancement of enzyme activity alone, while in the presence of dibutyryl cyclic AMP, ornithine decarboxylase activity was increased 40-50 fold within 7-8 h. Of the hormones and drugs tested, luteinizing hormone resulted in the highest (300-500 fold) induction of ornithine decarboxylase with optimal concentrations of dibutyryl cyclic AMP and asparagnine. Omission of dibutyryl cyclic AMP reduced this maximal activation to one half while optimal levels of luteinizing hormone alone caused no enhancement of ornithine decarboxylase activity. The induction of ornithine decarboxylase elicited by dibutyryl cyclic AMP, amino acid and luteinizing hormone was diminished about 50% with inhibitors of RNA and protein synthesis. The specific amino acid requirements for ornithine decarboxylase induction in chinese hamster ovary cells was similar to the requirements for induction in two other transformed cell lines. Understanding the mechanism of enzyme induction requires an identification of the essential components of the regulatory system. The essential requirement for enzyme induction is one of five amino acids. The induction of ornithine decarboxylase by dibutyryl cyclic AMP and luteinizing hormone was additive in the presence of an active amino acid.     

Induction of ornithine decarboxylase in guinea-pig lymphocytes. Synergistic effect of diacylglycerol and calcium

Calmodulin antagonists, N-(6-aminohexyl)-5-chloro-1-naphthalenesulfonamide (W-7), N-(6-aminohexyl)-1-naphthalenesulfonamide (W-5) and trifluoperazine inhibited ornithine decarboxylase induction in lymphocytes activated with phytohemagglutinin or inophore A23187. W-7, a more potent calmodulin antagonist than W-5, suppressed ornithine decarboxylase induction in a higher extent than did W-5. These results suggest that calmodulin may play an important role in ornithine decarboxylase induction in the activated lymphocytes. However, the extent of ornithine decarboxylase induction was greater in cells pretreated with Clostridium phospholipase C and then incubated with ionophore A23187 than in cells incubated with ionophore A23187 without the pretreatment. Moreover, combined treatment of cells with ionophore A23187 and tumor promotor, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, caused synergistic induction of ornithine decarboxylase activity. These results, taken together, suggest that both activations of Ca2+-activated phospholipid-dependent protein kinase by diacylglycerol and of calmodulin-dependent function resulted from an elevation of cytosolic Ca2+ concentration may operate in the induction of ornithine decarboxylase in the activated lymphocytes.     

Inhibition of phorbol ester-caused synthesis of mouse epidermal ornithine decarboxylase by retinoic acid

The mechanisms by which topically applied retinoic acid to mouse skin inhibits tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA)-induced epidermal ornithine decarboxylase activity were analyzed. Retinoic acid inhibition of the induction of epidermal ornithine decarboxylic activity was not the result of nonspecific cytotoxicity, production of a soluble inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, or direct effect on its activity. In addition, inhibition of TPA-caused increased ornithine decarboxylase activity does not appear to be due to enhanced degradation and/or post-translational modification of ornithine decarboxylase by transglutaminase-mediated putrescine incorporation. We found that retinoic acid inhibits the synthesis of ornithine decarboxylase caused by TPA. Application of 10 nmol TPA to mouse skin led to a dramatic induction of epidermal ornithine decarboxylase activity which was paralled by increased [3H]difluoromethylornithine binding and an increased incorporation of [35S]methionine into the enzyme. Application of 17 nmol retinoic acid 1 h prior to application of 10 nmol TPA to skin resulted in inhibition of the induction of activity which accompanied inhibition of [3H]difluoromethylornithine binding and [35S]methionine incorporation into ornithine decarboxylase protein as determined by the tube-gel electrophoresis of the enzyme immunoprecipitated with monoclonal antibodies to it. Inhibition of ornithine decarboxylase synthesis was not the result of the inhibitory effect of retinoic acid on general protein synthesis. The results indicate that retinoic acid possibly inhibits TPA-caused synthesis of ornithine decarboxylase protein selectively.     

Induction of ornithine decarboxylase by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate in hamster fibroblasts. Relationship between levels of enzyme activity, immunoreactive protein, and RNA during the induction process

Phorbol ester tumor promoters and growth factors rapidly stimulate ornithine decarboxylase activity in the transformed hamster fibroblast line HE68BP. We report here a close correspondence between the time courses and magnitudes of induction of ornithine decarboxylase activity and immunoreactive ornithine decarboxylase protein following treatment of HE68BP cells with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) and/or refeeding with fresh medium. Cycloheximide addition to induced cells caused a rapid fall in the levels of both ornithine decarboxylase activity and ornithine decarboxylase protein. Northern blot analysis of RNA isolated from HE68BP cells indicated that treatment with TPA and fresh medium increased the amount of two species of mRNA of lengths 2.4 and 2.1 kilobase. This increased accumulation of ornithine decarboxylase mRNA corresponded temporally to that observed at the protein level, with a 15-fold maximal induction 7 h after treatment followed by a rapid decline in hybridizable RNA. These data indicate that stimulation of ornithine decarboxylase activity by TPA or refeeding involves changes in levels of ornithine decarboxylase mRNA as well as changes in the rate of synthesis of ornithine decarboxylase protein.     

Hormonal control of liver regeneration

Two peaks in cyclic AMP production in rat livers 4 and 12h after partial hepatectomy (MacManus et al., 1972) were confirmed and a third peak established at 22h, which is the peak of DNA synthesis. The increases in cyclic AMP were prevented by beta-adrenergic blocking agents, propranolol and pindolol, without affecting ornithine decarboxylase induction or DNA synthesis. The alpha-blocking agents, phenoxybenzamine and phentolamine, given at the time of partial hepatectomy, delayed the rise in ornithine decarboxylase normally found 4h after operation, but did not affect DNA synthesis. If the alpha-blocking agents were given at 9-12h or 18h, the onset of DNA synthesis was delayed. Phenoxybenzamine did not affect the induction of ornithine decarboxylase in intact rat livers by glucagon or growth hormone, but did inhibit induction by dexamethasone. The induction of ornithine decarboxylase produced by dexamethasone was inhibited by 17alpha-hydroxy-progesterone; this compound also blocked the induction of ornithine decarboxylase in livers of partially hepatectomized rats.     

Ornithine decarboxylase induction in cells stimulated to proliferate differs from that in continuously dividing cells

Ornithine decarboxylase activity increases at least 4–5-fold before DNA synthesis both in synchronous cycling cells and in quiescent cells stimulated to proliferate. The purpose of our experiments was to test whether the transient peaks of ornithine decarboxylase activity in both growth situations were biochemically regulated in a similar manner. We found that the regulation of this particular enzyme activity is distinct in two ways. Firstly, the addition of 2mm-hydroxyurea will block the induction of ornithine decarboxylase in continuously dividing Chinese-hamster ovary cells, while having no effect on ornithine decarboxylase induction in stimulated quiescent cells. Hydroxyurea added after the induction occurs has no effect on the enzyme activity. The apparent half-life of the enzyme is not altered in cells treated with hydroxyurea. Hydroxyurea does not affect the enzyme directly, since incubation of cell homogenates with this drug results in no loss of measurable ornithine decarboxylase activity and hydroxyurea does not markedly alter general RNA- or protein-synthesis rates. The inactivation of ornithine decarboxylase activity by hydroxyurea does not resemble the loss of activity observed with a 90min treatment with spermidine. Thiourea, a less potent inhibitor of ribonucleoside diphosphate reductase, will also inhibit ornithine decarboxylase activity, but to a lesser extent. Secondly, the expression of ornithine decarboxylase in quiescent cells stimulated to proliferate is biphasic as these cells traverse G₁ and enter S phase, whereas only one peak of activity is apparent in synchronous cycling G₁-phase cells. The time interval between the first peak of ornithine decarboxylase activity and the onset of DNA synthesis is approx. 5h longer in non-dividing cells stimulated to proliferate than in continuously dividing cells. The results suggest that the regulation of ornithine decarboxylase activity is different in the two growth systems in that the induction of ornithine decarboxylase in continuously dividing cells occurs closer in time to DNA synthesis and is dependent on deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates.     

Induction of ornithine decarboxylase activity by 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-glycerol in isolated mouse epidermal cells

1-Oleoyl-2-acetyl-glycerol induced a rise in ornithine decarboxylase activity in isolated epidermal cells in a concentration-dependent manner. The time course of the induction of ornithine decarboxylase by 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-glycerol was similar to that by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate. A23187 did not enhance the enzyme induction caused by 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-glycerol. Palmitoyl-DL-carnitine prevented the induction of the enzyme either by 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-glycerol or 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate. These results suggest that the activation of protein kinase C is an initial and essential event in the process of ornithine decarboxylase induction caused by 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate.     

Effect of sodium butyrate on induction of ornithine decarboxylase activity in phytohemagglutinin-stimulated lymphocytes

Effect of sodium butyrate on DNA synthesis and the induction of ornithine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.17), a rate-limiting enzyme of polyamine biosynthesis, was studied in phytohemagglutinin(PHA)-stimulated bovine lymphocytes. Millimolar concentrations of butyrate completely inhibited the incorporation of [³H] thymidine into the acid-insoluble fraction and reversibly suppressed the induction of ornithine decarboxylase. Other shortchain fatty acids were much less active than butyrate. These results suggest that the suppression of ornithine decarboxylase activity may be one of the reasons for the inhibition of DNA synthesis with butyrate in bovine lymphocytes, because our previous experimental results have shown that the induction of ornithine decarboxylase closely correlates with the DNA synthesis in growth-stimulated cells.     

Effect of urethan on the induction of ornithine decarboxylase in regenerating rat liver

The effect of urethan on the induction of ornithine decarboxylase in the early stage of the regeneration of rat liver was studied. The induced activity of ornithine decarboxylase was suppressed by administration of urethan immediately after partial hepatectomy. Although ornithine decarboxylase was induced biphasically by partial hepatectomy, a single intraperitoneal injection of urethan resulted in the reduction of both phases. However, the ornithine decarboxylase activity induced by glucocorticoids and growth hormone was not suppressed by urethan. The increased level of 3′,5′-cyclic adenosine monophosphate induced by partial hepatectomy was also reduced by urethan and this suppression was proportional to the suppression of ornithine decarboxylase activity. Reversal of the urethan-induced suppression of ornithine decarboxylase by administration of dibutyryl 3′,5′-cyclic adenosine monophosphate was also observed.     

Effect of urethan on the induction of ornithine decarboxylase in regenerating rat liver.

The effect of urethan on the induction of ornithine decarboxylase in the early stage of the regeneration of rat liver was studied. The induced activity of ornithine decarboxylase was suppressed by administration of urethan immediately after partial hepatectomy. Although ornithine decarboxylase was induced biphasically by partial hepatectomy, a single intraperitoneal injection of urethan resulted in the reduction of both phases. However, the ornithine decarboxylase activity induced by glucocorticoids and growth hormone was not suppressed by urethan. The increased level of 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate induced by partial hepatectomy was also reduced by urethan and this suppression was proportional to the suppression of ornithine decarboxylase activity. Reversal of the urethan-induced suppression of ornithine decarboxylase by administration of dibutyryl 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate was also observed.     

Induction of ornithine decarboxylase in rat liver by phorbol ester is mediated by prostanoids from Kupffer cells

Administration of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) to rats in vivo resulted in the induction of ornithine decarboxylase activity in the liver which could be blocked by preinjection of indomethacin, a cyclooxygenase inhibitor. In vitro administration of PMA to primary cultures of rat parenchymal cells did not lead to an induction of ornithine decarboxylase activity. It was investigated to what extent non-parenchymal liver cells could play an intermediary role in the expression of the PMA effect on ornithine decarboxylase activity in parenchymal liver cells. Addition of conditioned medium from PMA-activated Kupffer cells to cultured parenchymal cells led to the induction of ornithine decarboxylase activity in parenchymal cells. This effect was not observed with conditioned medium from untreated Kupffer cells or from Kupffer cells treated with PMA plus indomethacin. Conditioned media from PMA-treated or untreated endothelial liver cells were ineffective in the induction of ornithine decarboxylase activity in parenchymal liver cells. Prostaglandin D2, the main eicosanoid produced by Kupffer cells, was able to stimulate the synthesis of ornithine decarboxylase in parenchymal liver cells (up to 40-fold) in a dose-dependent way. Prostaglandin (PG) D2 appeared to be a more potent inducer of ornithine decarboxylase activity in parenchymal cells than PGE1 and PGE2. It is concluded that intercellular communication inside the liver mediated by prostaglandins derived from activated Kupffer cells may form a mechanism to induce synthesis of specific proteins in parenchymal cells.     

Induction of ornithine decarboxylase in guinea-pig lymphocytes and its relation to phospholipid metabolism

Treatment of lymphocytes with exogenous phospholipase C (phosphatidylcholine cholinephosphohydrolase, EC 3.1.4.3.) derived from Clostridium perfringens at concentrations similar to those which induced ornithine decarboxylase (L-ornithine carboxy-lyase, EC 4.1.1.17) activity produced diacylglycerol and phosphatidate. A divalent cation ionophore, A23187, and phytohemagglutinin induced not only diacylglycerol formation, but also ornithine decarboxylase activity. Dibutyryl cAMP inhibited both diacylglycerol formation and ornithine decarboxylase induction to a similar extent in phytohemagglutinin-stimulated lymphocytes, but stimulated them somewhat in ionophore A23187-activated lymphocytes. This suggests that the activation of intracellular phospholipase C and the formation of diacylglycerol is involved in ornithine decarboxylase induction in lymphocytes.     

Induction of ornithine decarboxylase by biliverdin in rat liver.

The administration of biliverdin (0.1mg/g of body weight) into the peritoneal cavity of rats resulted in the induction of ornithine decarboxylase in the liver. When the temporal relationships between the changes in intracellular adenosine 3', 5'-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic AMP) level, cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase activity and the induction of ornithine decarboxylase were investigated, the concentration of cyclic AMP increased significantly 2 h after the administration of biliverdin, while cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase was activated after 2–4 h. The hepatic ornithine decarboxylase activity began to increase 4 h after biliverdin injection. These results suggest that there is some sequential relationship between the increase of cyclic AMP, the activation of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase and the induction of ornithine decarboxylase although the direct correlation of these three events remains to be elucidated.     

Inhibition of ornithine decarboxylase in human fibroblast cells by type I and type II interferons

Dilution of human fibroblast GM2767 cell cultures into fresh serum-containing growth medium induces ornithine decarboxylase activity 45-fold over a six-hour interval. When the fibroblast cultures are supplemented with human fibroblast α-, β-, or γ-interferon at the time of dilution into fresh growth medium, the induction of ornithine decarboxylase is inhibited 61%, 90%, and 65%, respectively. β-Interferon is the most effective type of interferon to inhibit induction of ornithine decarboxylase.     

Regulation of polyamine biosynthesis in normal and transformed hamster cells in culture

Several aspects of polyamine biosynthesis were compared in low-passage hamster embryo fibroblasts and transformed hamster fibroblasts. Earlier studies had demonstrated a larger and longer-lasting induction of ornithine decarboxylase activity in transformed cells than in hamster embryo fibroblasts. The increases in intracellular polyamine concentrations after serum stimulation were much greater in chemically transformed HE68BP cells than in normal hamster fibroblasts. Treatment of confluent cultures with the tumor promoter, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate, greatly potentiated ornithine decarboxylase induction by fresh medium in HE68BP cells, but not in hamster fibroblasts. A similar synergistic effect was observed when transformed cells, but not normal cells, were treated with the combination of insulin and promoter. HE68BP cells were capable of growth in medium containing serum concentrations as low as 0.5%, whereas only concentrations of 5% or more supported the growth of hamster embryo fibroblasts. Low serum concentrations induced ornithine decarboxylase in HE68BP cells but not in normal cells, and a given serum concentration always produced a greater induction of ornithine decarboxylase in transformed than in normal cells.Another enzyme involved in polyamine synthesis, $\text{S-}\text{adenosyl-}\text{L}\text{-methionine}$ decarboxylase was induced in normal and transformed cells by serum-containing medium or tetradecanoylphorbol acetate, but in contrast to ornithine decarboxylase, no synergistic effect was seen in transformed cells exposed to the combination of fresh medium and the tumor promoter. A macromolecular inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase was readily detected in hamster fibroblast cultures treated with high concentrations of putrescine, but little or none of this inhibitor was found in HE68BP cultures. In both cell types, however, serum induction of ornithine decarboxylase was inhibited under conditions of excess putrescine.The results demonstrate several differences between normal and transformed hamster cells in the regulation of polyamine synthesis.     

Molecular mechanisms of the synergistic induction of ornithine decarboxylase by asparagine and glucagon in primary cultured hepatocytes

In primary cultures of adult rat hepatocytes maintained in a salts/glucose medium, a more than 100-fold increase in ornithine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.17) activity was caused by asparagine and glucagon in a synergistic manner. The synthesis rate of ornithine decarboxylase was determined by [35S]methionine incorporation into the enzyme protein, and the amount of ornithine decarboxylase-mRNA was measured by hybridization with a cloned rat liver ornithine decarboxylase-cDNA. The synthesis rate of ornithine decarboxylase was stimulated more than 20-fold by asparagine and glucagon together, but the amount of ornithine decarboxylase-mRNA was increased only 3-4-fold, indicating that translational stimulation was involved in the induction process. Asparagine alone stimulated the synthesis of ornithine decarboxylase without substantial effect on the amount of ornithine decarboxylase-mRNA, whereas glucagon alone increased the amount of ornithine decarboxylase-mRNA about 3-fold without a detectable change in either enzyme activity or enzyme synthesis. Asparagine, at least in part, also suppressed degradation of ornithine decarboxylase.     

The effects of nerve growth factor on polyamine metabolism in PC12 cells

Nerve growth factor treatment produces a large increase in the activity of ornithine decarboxylase and a moderate decrease in the activity of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase in PC12 cells. These changes are reflected weakly, if at all, in the levels of putrescine, spermidine, and spermine in the cells. The rates of polyamine synthesis are increased somewhat more than the overall levels, but still are not comparable in extent to the increase in the ornithine decarboxylase activity. Inhibitors of ornithine decarboxylase and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase have their expected effects on the induction of ornithine decarboxylase and on the activities of both enzymes. Neither inhibitor alone, nor a combination of inhibitors, altered the rate or extent of nerve growth factor-induced neurite outgrowth in the cells.