Intraventricular administration of nerve growth factor induces ornithine decarboxylase in peripheral tissues of the rat.

Intraventricular administration of nerve growth factor causes an increase in the activity of ornithine decarboxylase (L-ornithine carboxy-lyase, EC 4.1.1.17) in liver, kidney, and adrenal as well as in brain itself. An increase in the concentration of corticosterone in the blood was also observed. Adrenalectomy, hypophysectomy, or pituitary stalk section inhibits the increase of ornithine decarboxylase activity in the peripheral tissues. Ornithine decarboxylase activity in the brain, however, responds to nerve growth factor in these animals. The data indicate that nerve growth factor causes an acitivation of the hypothalamo-hypophyseal endocrine system.