We determined the role of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) in compensatory renal hypertrophy (CRH) by relating renal ODC activity and polyamine content to kidney size, expressed as a percent of body weight, 1 wk after unilateral nephrectomy (UN). In normal rats, renal ODC activity increased from 11.0 +/- 7.4 (SD) to 36.7 +/- 15.4 pmol 14CO2.min-1.g wet wt-1 3 h after UN (P less than 0.002); 1 wk later the remaining kidney weight had increased from 0.38 to 0.46% body weight (P less than 0.001). Renal concentration of putrescine, the product of ODC's decarboxylation of ornithine, was increased 3, 8, and 48 h after UN, but concentrations of polyamines synthesized later in the pathway, spermidine and spermine, were not appreciably affected. Pretreatment with difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), an irreversible inhibitor of ODC, as a 1% drinking water solution inhibited both base-line renal ODC activity and putrescine concentration as well as increases stimulated by UN, although concentrations of spermidine and spermine were not decreased. In these rats, CRH still occurred, since kidney weight increased from 0.36 to 0.46% (P less than 0.001). A 2% DFMO solution caused depletion of all three polyamines, but CRH took place nevertheless. In hypophysectomized rats, both increased renal ODC activity and CRH occurred as well, indicating that these two consequences of UN do not require intact pituitary function. Although increased renal ODC activity and CRH after UN are correlated in normal and hypophysectomized rats, CRH takes place in rats treated with DFMO despite inhibition of ODC activity and depletion of polyamines.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)