Age-related changes in inducible mouse liver enzymes: ornithine decarboxylase and tyrosine aminotransferase

The time required to induce two inducible hepatic enzymes, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT), by growth hormone and dexamethasone, respectively, increases with age. Specific activity at the peak of induction is the same for all ages. On the other hand, for basal TAT the specific activity per unit of TAT antigen was found to decrease considerably with age. The half-life of ODC was determined after cycloheximide administration. The apparent half-life at the peak of ODC induction increases from 15 minutes in 3-4-month-old mice to 30 minutes in 24-month-old animals. Loss of efficiency in the protein degradation system is implicated in this phenomenon as no apparent differences could be observed in the susceptibility of ODC and TAT from young or old mice to chymotrypsin. ODC and TAT are activated by temperatures of up to 37 degrees C and 50 degrees C, respectively. ODC is inactivated at 50 degrees C while TAT is inactivated at 76 degrees C. "Young" ODC and TAT are more readily activated or inactivated by heating than the "old" enzymes.