Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) is the primary and rate-limiting enzyme in the natural synthesis of polyamines putrescine, spermidine and spermine, which have been implicated in the breakdown of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), the initial event in the pathogenesis of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) and multiple sclerosis (MS). This thesis INOUid like to suggest that there is increased expression of ODC during heightened disease expression in EAE, and therefore that ODC is involved in the development of EAE and MS through the polyamine synthetic pathway. To assess the levels of ODC enzyme in central nervous system (CNS) tissue, which included cerebellum, cervical spinal cord and medulla, the tissue was first homogenised and the protein concentration of the resulting sample determined. This required the establishment of an appropriate protein estimation mP.thod i.e. a suitable protein assay. Much time and experimentation was spent on achieving this because of the effect of interfering substances on the assays used. Assessment of the levels of ODC in a model of EAE using normal tissue, CFA treated tissue (control), day-13 post inoculation (PI) (height of disease) and day-21 PI (early recovery stage) was carried out by Western blotting. The studies show that there is increased expression of ODC at the height of disease i.e. day-13 PI in cerebellum and medulla pons tissue but not cervical spinal cord tissue
