Epidermal Growth Factor Stimulates Ornithine Decarboxylase Activity in the Digestive Tract of Mouse

Abstract

The effect of EGF [epidermal growth factor] (6 .mu.g/g body wt, subcutaneously) on OD [ornithine decarboxylase] concentration in stomach, duodenum, midgut and colon, as well as a control tissue, heart, in 8 day old mice were studied. The animals were killed 4 h after either EGF or control water injections. OD activity, expressed as picomoles of 14CO2 liberated from 1-[14C]L-ornithine per mg wet wt tissue, was significantly higher in the animals given EGF than in controls in the stomach (EGF 29.9 .+-. 6.8; control 9.9 .+-. 3.6, P < .05) and the duodenum (EGF 51.7 .+-. 16.9; control 6.5 .+-. 4.3, P < .05) but not in the midgut, colon or heart. EGF stimulated ornithine decarboxylase activity in the stomach and duodenum of neonatal mice; suggesting a possible role for EGF (or urogastrone) in mucosal repair and defense in these tissues.