Ornithine Decarboxylase Expression Leads to Translocation and Activation of Protein Kinase CK2 In Vivo

The study investigated the impact of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) overexpression on protein kinase CK2 activity and localization, revealing that elevated polyamine levels led to increased CK2 activity and its translocation from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. Despite a significant increase in CK2 protein levels, only a modest rise in enzyme activity was observed, with nuclear CK2 activity increasing 4-fold. In K6/ODC transgenic mice, high ODC activity in hair follicles resulted in hair loss and follicular cysts, suggesting a link between polyamine metabolism and cancer progression. The findings indicated that polyamines might regulate CK2 by affecting its distribution and activity, potentially contributing to tumor development by altering CK2 activity and disrupting normal signal transduction pathways.