This study was designed to investigate changes of ornithine decarboxylase and polyamines during pancreatic adaptation in response to feeding of the synthetic protease inhibitor camostate. alpha-Difluoromethylornithine, an irreversible and specific inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, was applied simultaneously to elucidate the essential role of polyamines in pancreatic growth. Cholecystokinin (CCK) plasma levels in camostate-fed rats increased from basal values of 3-4 pmol/l to a maximal level of 27.4 pmol/l after 2h; they then decreased up to 12 h but remained elevated above controls throughout the 30-day experiments. In the camostate group pancreatic ornithine decarboxylase activity was elevated after 2 h, reaching a maximum after 6 h (1,858.5 pmol 14CO2/h/mg DNA, about 200-fold above controls) followed by a significant increase in putrescine after 4 h and spermidine after 24 h while spermine remained unchanged. The trophic parameters increased in the following time sequence: thymidine kinase (12 h), DNA polymerase (12 h), protein (24 h), pancreatic weight (24 h) and DNA (5 days). alpha-Difluoromethylornithine significantly delayed and reduced the camostate-induced increase in ornithine decarboxylase activity and polyamine concentrations as well as the trophic parameters. Application of the CCK receptor antagonist L-364,718 resulted in complete inhibition of the increases in ornithine decarboxylase, polyamines and all trophic parameters. These data indicate an important role for ornithine decarboxylase and polyamines in camostate-induced pancreatic growth and hormonal mediated pancreatic adaptation in rats.