Fluorescent location of ornithine decarboxylase employing derivatives of the specific inhibitor alpha-difluoromethyl ornithine.
Two fluorescent derivatives have been made from alpha-difluoromethyl ornithine by linking the carboxyl group of the ornithine derivatives to fluorescent amines. alpha-difluoromethyl ornithine is a potent inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, an enzyme which plays an essential role in cell division. We have used these fluorescent derivatives as probes for ornithine decarboxylase in frozen sections of skin to locate the epithelial cells which are known to contain ornithine decarboxylase. The probes also located squamous cell carcinoma cells in human skin.
Steven
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FS
Department of Biochemistry, University of Manchester, U.K.
Williams
L A
LA
Warne
P
P
Tucker
D F
DF
D000818:Animals; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D000518:Eflornithine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009955:Ornithine Decarboxylase / Q000032:analysis*; D065108:Ornithine Decarboxylase Inhibitors; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology
D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D065108:Ornithine Decarboxylase Inhibitors; D009955:Ornithine Decarboxylase; D000518:Eflornithine