Induction of epidermal ornithine decarboxylase activity in mouse skin exposed to biogenic silica fibers.

The present study demonstrates that biogenic silica fibers (BSF), previously shown to promote skin tumors in mice and more recently to promote the induction of mesotheliomas when injected into the pleural cavity of rats, rapidly induces epidermal ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity in SENCAR mice following topical application. The time course for induction of epidermal ODC by BSF was very similar to that observed following topical treatment with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). Maximal ODC activity was observed 4-6 h following treatment with BSF. Cycloheximide (70 mg/kg i.p.) partially inhibited (61%) the induction of ODC by BSF at 5 h. In addition, retinoic acid (RA, 5 micrograms per mouse given 30 min before BSF) effectively inhibited BSF-induced ODC by 68%, while indomethacin (100 micrograms per mouse 2 h before BSF) had little or no effect. Copper(II) bis(diisopropylsalicylate) (2 mumol 30 min before BSF), an effective inhibitor of TPA-induced ODC activity and tumor promotion, also had little or no effect on BSF-induced ODC. The work described in this paper suggests that BSF induces epidermal ODC by a very specific mechanism that exhibits both similarities and differences with that of the phorbol ester, TPA. Nevertheless, this response strongly supports the conclusion that BSF is an effective tumor promoter in mouse skin and that ODC induction is an integral part of the mechanism of action of this environmental promoter.