Stimulation of Ornithine Decarboxylase Activity by Insulin in Developing Rat Brain*

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Abstract
Insulin administered ip or intracisternally (ic) increased the activity of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) in whole brains and brain parts of neonatal rats. Maximal stimulation of activity occurred 4–5 h after ip administration. At the highest doses, insulin stimulated ODC activity by up to 5- and 8-fold after ip and ic injection, respectively. The same amount of insulin given, ic caused greater increases in activity than when given ip. Insulin stimulated ODC activity in 2-day-old and in 17- to 60-day-old rats but not in 5- or 9-day-old neonates or 80-dayold adults. When insulin-induced hypoglycemia was prevented by giving dextrose, the stimulation of ODC activity was approximately the same as that in animals receiving insulin without dextrose. This indicates that insulin-induced stimulation of brain ODC activity was not caused by insulin-induced hypoglycemia or physiological responses to hypoglycemia. Since ODC is considered an indicator of growth stimulation, these results suggest that insulin or insulin-like peptides have a role in the regulation of brain development. (Endocrinology106: 619, 1980)

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