Dissociation between induction of ornithine decarboxylase and oxidative burst by phorbol esters in a macrophage cell line

: In order to investigate the correlation between stimulation of superoxide generation and induction of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) we have used the macrophage cell line J774.16 and a clone derived from this line that, by contrast with the parental line, is unable to generate superoxides in response to TPA. No difference was observed between the normal and the defective cells, with respect to ODC induction by TPA over a wide range of TPA concentrations (0.2-5.0 micrograms/ml). Similar results were obtained comparing resident and caseinate-elicited mouse peritoneal macrophages. Although resident macrophages did not generate superoxides in response to TPA, they did not differ from superoxide-generating, caseinate-elicited macrophages with respect to ODC induction. These data suggest a dissociation between the stimulation of the oxidative burst by TPA and a growth factor-like effect such as ODC induction.