Human brain monoamine oxidase type B: mechanism of deamination as probed by steady-state methods

Questions in the Chemical Enzymology of MAO

We have structure, a wealth of kinetic data, thousands of chemical ligands and clinical information for the effects of a range of drugs on monoamine oxidase activity in vivo. We have comparative information from various species and mutations on kinetics and effects of inhibition. Nevertheless, there are what seem like simple questions still to be answered. This article presents a brief summary of existing experimental evidence the background and poses questions that remain intriguing for chemists and biochemists researching the chemical enzymology of and drug design for monoamine oxidases (FAD-containing EC 4.1.3.4).

On the practical aspects of characterising monoamine oxidase inhibition in vitro

The development of novel inhibitors of human monoamine oxidase enzymes with improved pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic profiles has, in the past, been hampered by limited access to enzyme, by assay protocols offering limited throughput, and by inappropriate analyses of kinetic data. More recently, high-level expression of human enzymes in yeast has facilitated thorough examinations of steady-state enzyme behaviour that have led to improvements in our understanding of the mathematical underpinnings of kinetic analyses of monoamine oxidases. However, with these improvements have come a realisation that to be useful, more data points across wider concentration ranges are required. In turn, many discontinuous assay approaches, such as those involving radiolabelled substrates or chromatographic separation of product from substrate, have been rendered somewhat obsolete. Justification for the use of a platereader-based approach to assess the effects of novel inhibitors on monamine oxidases is provided, along with details of experimental design optimised to address the unexpectedly complex kinetics followed by these enzymes. Potential sources of error are discussed, and comments provided on techniques that may enhance the quality of experimental data.

90 years of monoamine oxidase: some progress and some confusion

It would not be practical to attempt to deal with all the advances that have informed our understanding of the behavior and functions of this enzyme over the past 90 years. This account concentrates key advances that explain why the monoamine oxidases remain of pharmacological and biochemical interest and on some areas of continuing uncertainty. Some issues that remain to be understood or are in need of further clarification are highlighted.

Molecular aspects of monoamine oxidase B

Monoamine oxidases (MAO) influence the monoamine levels in brain by virtue of their role in neurotransmitter breakdown. MAO B is the predominant form in glial cells and in platelets. MAO B structure, function and kinetics are described as a background for the effect of alterations in its activity on behavior. The need to inhibit MAO B to combat decreased brain amines continues to drive the search for new drugs. Reversible and irreversible inhibitors are now designed using data-mining, computational screening, docking and molecular dynamics. Multi-target ligands designed to combat the elevated activity of MAO B in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases incorporate MAO inhibition (usually irreversible) as well as iron chelation, antioxidant or neuroprotective properties. The main focus of drug design is the catalytic activity of MAO, but the imidazoline I2 site in the entrance cavity of MAO B is also a pharmacological target. Endogenous regulation of MAO B expression is discussed briefly in light of new studies measuring mRNA, protein, or activity in healthy and degenerative samples, including the effect of DNA methylation on the expression. Overall, this review focuses on examples of recent research on the molecular aspects of the expression, activity, and inhibition of MAO B.

Identification of a new membrane-permeable inhibitor against inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate-3-kinase A

Ectopic expression of the neuron-specific inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate-3-kinase A (ITPKA) in lung cancer cells increases their metastatic potential because the protein exhibits two actin regulating activities; it bundles actin filaments and regulates inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3)-mediated calcium signals by phosphorylating InsP3. Thus, in order to inhibit the metastasis-promoting activity of ITPKA, both its actin bundling and its InsP3kinase activity has to be blocked. In this study, we performed a high throughput screen in order to identify specific and membrane-permeable substances against the InsP3kinase activity. Among 341,44 small molecules, 237 compounds (0.7%) were identified as potential InsP3kinase inhibitors. After determination of IC50-values, the three compounds with highest specificity and highest hydrophobicity (EPPC-3, BAMB-4, MEPTT-3) were further characterized. Only BAMB-4 was nearly completely taken up by H1299 cells and remained stable after cellular uptake, thus exhibiting a robust stability and a high membrane permeability. Determination of the inhibitor type revealed that BAMB-4 belongs to the group of mixed type inhibitors. Taken together, for the first time we identified a highly membrane-permeable inhibitor against the InsP3kinase activity of ITPKA providing the possibility to partly inhibit the metastasis-promoting effect of ITPKA in lung tumor cells.

Striatal dopamine transporter availability in unmedicated bipolar disorder

OBJECTIVES

Dopamine transmission abnormalities have been implicated in the etiology of bipolar disorder (BPD). However, there is a paucity of receptor imaging studies in BPD, and little information is available about the dopamine system in BPD. Reuptake of synaptic dopamine by the dopamine transporter (DAT) is the principal mechanism regulating dopamine neurotransmission, and is often used as a marker for presynaptic dopamine function. This positron emission tomography (PET) study investigated whether DAT availability differed between BPD and healthy control subjects.

METHODS

A total of 11 unmedicated BPD patients in either the euthymic or depressed phase and 13 closely matched healthy subjects underwent PET imaging with the DAT-selective radiotracer [(11) C]CFT and a structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. Striatal binding potential (BP(ND) ) was estimated using the multilinear reference tissue model. Region of interest and analyses were conducted to test for differences in [(11) C]CFT BP(ND) between groups.

RESULTS

Unmedicated BPD subjects had significantly lower DAT availability relative to healthy controls in bilateral dorsal caudate.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study support the hypothesis that there are abnormalities in the dopaminergic system in BPD, and suggest that DAT availability may be related to the neuropathology of BPD. Future studies are needed to determine if DAT availability cycles with disease phase.

Catalytic and inhibitor binding properties of zebrafish monoamine oxidase (zMAO): comparisons with human MAO A and MAO B

A comparative investigation of substrate specificity and inhibitor binding properties of recombinant zebrafish (Danio rerio) monoamine oxidase (zMAO) with those of recombinant human monoamine oxidases A and B (hMAO A and hMAO B) is presented. zMAO oxidizes the neurotransmitter amines (serotonin, dopamine and tyramine) with k(cat) values that exceed those of hMAO A or of hMAO B. The enzyme is competitively inhibited by hMAO A selective reversible inhibitors with the exception of d-amphetamine where uncompetitive inhibition is exhibited. The enzyme is unreactive with most MAO B-specific reversible inhibitors with the exception of chlorostyrylcaffeine. zMAO catalyzes the oxidation of para-substituted benzylamine analogs exhibiting (D)k(cat) and (D)(k(cat)/K(m)) values ranging from 2 to 8. Structure-activity correlations show a dependence of log k(cat) with the electronic factor σ(p) with a ρ value of +1.55±0.34; a value close to that for hMAO A but not with MAO B. zMAO differs from hMAO A or hMAO B in benzylamine analog binding correlations where an electronic effect (ρ=+1.29±0.31) is observed. These data demonstrate zMAO exhibits functional properties similar to hMAO A as well as exhibits its own unique behavior. These results should be useful for studies of MAO function in zebrafish models of human disease states.

Kinetic behavior and reversible inhibition of monoamine oxidases--enzymes that many want dead

Monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors have proven to be valuable tools in pharmacology and therapeutics. This account concerns the behavior of the different types of reversible inhibitor and how an understanding of the kinetic mechanisms of MAO may help in their design.

On the formation and nature of the imidazoline I2 binding site on human monoamine oxidase-B

An allosteric binding site with high affinity for imidazoline I(2) ligands has been proposed to exist on monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B). However, enzyme inhibition only occurs at ligand concentrations far higher than are required to saturate this site. We here confirm previous reports that inactivation of recombinant human MAO-B with tranylcypromine results in the formation of a high affinity I(2) site on the enzyme, measured as an increase in binding of [(3)H]2-BFI. Incubation of MAO-B with 2-phenylethylamine, an endogenous trace amine and MAO-B substrate, resulted in a progressive loss of enzyme activity, increased enzyme mass, distinct spectral changes and, as was observed with tranylcypromine, a parallel increase in high affinity binding of [(3)H]2-BFI. Kinetic studies of the mechanism by which 2-BFI inhibits MAO-B activity suggested binding of 2-BFI, at micromolar concentrations, to a site distinct from the active site on at least two forms of the pure enzyme, probably corresponding to oxidised and reduced enzyme states. Studies with mutant enzymes revealed a pattern of changes consistent with binding of 2-BFI to the substrate entrance channel of human MAO-B. Structural data confirm that high affinity binding of I(2) ligands occurs within the entrance channel of inactive enzyme, while lower affinity binding at the same location in catalytically active enzyme results in mixed inhibition of MAO-B activity. High affinity I(2) sites may form in vivo due to inactivation of a portion of MAO-B during amine oxidation, while the low affinity I(2) site on active enzyme is a target for novel MAO-B inhibitor drugs.

Steady-state kinetic mechanism, stereospecificity, substrate and inhibitor specificity of Enterobacter cloacae nitroreductase

Enterobacter cloacae nitroreductase (NR) is a flavoprotein which catalyzes the pyridine nucleotide-dependent reduction of nitroaromatics. Initial velocity and inhibition studies have been performed which establish unambiguously a ping-pong kinetic mechanism. NADH oxidation proceeds stereospecifically with the transfer of the pro-R hydrogen to the enzyme and the amide moiety of the nicotinamide appears to be the principal mediator of the interaction between NR and NADH. 2,4-Dinitrotoluene is the most efficient oxidizing substrate examined, with a kcat/KM an order of magnitude higher than those of p-nitrobenzoate, FMN, FAD or riboflavin. Dicoumarol is a potent inhibitor competitive vs. NADH with a Ki of 62 nM. Several compounds containing a carboxyl group are also competitive inhibitors vs. NADH. Yonetani-Theorell analysis of dicoumarol and acetate inhibition indicates that their binding is mutually exclusive, which suggests that the two inhibitors bind to the same site on the enzyme. NAD+ does not exhibit product inhibition and in the absence of an electron acceptor, no isotope exchange between NADH and 32P-NAD+ could be detected. NR catalyzes the 4-electron reduction of nitrobenzene to hydroxylaminobenzene with no optically detectable net formation of the putative two-electron intermediate nitrosobenzene.

Substrate regulation of monoamine oxidases

The rate of oxidation by monoamine oxidase (MAO) of a particular amine in a given cell depends on the levels of MAO-A and MAO-B expressed in the mitochondrial outer membranes, on the amine concentration and the oxygen concentration. Its disposal will be slowed by the presence of competing amines or endogenous inhibitors. However, substrate binding alters the properties of MAO and influences catalytic turnover. (a) It increases the redox potential of the flavin making possible the transfer of electrons from the higher potential amine. (b) It accelerates the reactivity of the covalently bound flavin with oxygen, effectively increasing the Vm (particularly for MAO-B). (c) It bypasses the generation of free oxidised enzyme in the reaction cycle so that, at high amine concentrations, only the affinity of a substrate or inhibitor for the reduced enzyme (particularly for MAO-A) is important. These changes are induced only by substrate, not by the few stable products available nor by inhibitors suggesting a very specific interaction between a substrate ligand and the enzyme. The altered properties are very different for MAO-A and MAO-B even with the same substrate. Elucidation of the mechanisms involved must await structural information from physical studies, molecular modelling and mutational analysis.

Aminium cation radical mechanism proposed for monoamine oxidase B catalysis: are there alternatives?

1. The interaction of bovine liver mitochondrial monoamine oxidase B (MAO B) with a series of benzylamine analogues was investigated to provide mechanistic information relative to the proposed cation radical mechanism and to provide information on the structural requirements of the substrate binding site. 2. Steady-state kinetic analysis of MAO B with 11 ring-substituted benzylamine analogues showed substitution does not alter the reaction pathway. All amine analogues tested exhibit sizeable deuterium kinetic isotope effects. 3. Anaerobic stopped-flow kinetic studies showed (1) C-H bond cleavage is rate-limiting in enzyme-bound flavin reduction and (2) that no specially detectable flavin radicals are observed. 4. The binding affinity of para-substituted benzylamine analogues to MAO B increased as the hydrophobicity of the substituent increased. In contrast, meta-substitution of the ring showed reduced affinity with an increase in the van der Waals volume of the substituent. 5. The rate of enzyme reduction by para-substitution exhibited a strong negative dependence with the Taft (Es) steric value of the substituent. In contrast, the rate of enzyme reduction by meta-substituted benzylamines is independent of the nature of the substituent. 6. para-Substituted N,N-dimethylbenzylamine analogues are not substrates for MAO B but are competitive inhibitors of benzylamine oxidation with a weaker affinity with increasing van der Waals volume of the substituent. In contrast, meta-substituted N,N-dimethyl benzylamine analogues are weak substrates for MAO B with oxidation occurring exclusively at the benzyl carbon. 7. The consequences of these results on the possible mechanisms (aminium cation radical, H abstraction, and nucleophilic mechanism) for C-H bond cleavage proposed for MAO B are discussed.

Structure activity studies of the substrate binding site in monoamine oxidase B

The influence of para and meta substitution of benzylamine analogues on their interaction with bovine liver monoamine oxidase B has been investigated to provide insights into the nature of the substrate binding site. Binding data with para-substituted benzylamine analogues show the area of the binding site about the para position to be hydrophobic and exhibiting some steric constraints. Alkylation of the benzylamine nitrogen with methyl groups results in a dominance of steric constraints about the para-position as an influence on binding. meta-Substitution of the benzylamine ring results in a decreased binding affinity which exhibits a dependence on the van der Waals volume of the substituent indicating steric constraints also occur about this area of the bound substrate. The independence of the rate of enzyme reduction with the nature of the meta-substituent suggests these benzylamine analogues are bound in the substrate site in a manner which optimizes overlap of the pro-R benzyl C-H bond with the lone pair orbital on the nitrogen. In contrast, the observed rates of enzyme reduction by para-substituted benzylamine analogues exhibit a dominant steric dependence which suggests the mode of binding of this class of analogues does not provide this optimal overlap for efficient C-H bond cleavage. Support for this conclusion also comes from the observation that para-substituted N,N-dimethylbenzylamine analogues are competitive inhibitors and not substrates for monoamine oxidase B while the meta-substituted analogues are substrates, albeit poor ones. The demonstration of a tunneling contribution to the C-H bond cleavage step demonstrates the absence of any motion or changes in solvation coupled with that catalytic event and the close proximity of the enzyme group accepting the H to the pro-R position of the bound substrate. Little or no influence of meta or para benzylamine substituent on the rate of O2 reaction with the reduced flavin-protonated imine complex is observed which suggests alterations in the configuration of the bound substrate do not influence the reactivity of the reduced flavin.

Kinetic properties of cloned human liver monoamine oxidase A

Monoamine oxidases deaminate many amines, including neurotransmitters, by oxidation followed by spontaneous breakdown of the imine product. The reduced enzyme is reoxidized slowly by oxygen, but in the presence of amines, the rate of reoxidation is markedly enhanced. The extent of enhancement depends on the amine substrate, kynuramine enhancing the rate 125-fold, but 5-hydroxytryptamine only 6-fold. Here we describe the properties of human liver monoamine oxidase A which has been cloned into and overexpressed in yeast. The purified enzyme has a higher Km for oxygen than does the placental enzyme, but the steady-state parameters for the endogenous amines are the same. Tertiary amines are oxidized at slightly different rates by the two enzymes. The consequences of the branched pathway mechanism with substrate-dependent enhancement of reoxidation for the steady-state levels of the various enzyme species is discussed.

Spectral and kinetic studies of imine product formation in the oxidation of p-(N,N-dimethylamino)benzylamine analogues by monoamine oxidase B

The oxidative deamination of p-(N,N-dimethylamino)benzylamine and N-methyl-p-(N,N-dimethylamino)benzylamine by bovine liver monoamine oxidase B has been investigated by absorption spectral, steady-state, and stopped-flow kinetic studies. An absorbing intermediate with a maximum at 390 nm is observed with either analogue in turnover experiments at neutral pH and is identified as due to the formation of protonated imine as the initial product. p-(N,N-Dimethylamino)benzaldehyde is the final product formed from either substrate analogue. Anaerobic stopped-flow measurements show N-methyl-p-(N,N-dimethylamino)benzylamine to reduce enzyme-bound flavin with a limiting rate of 1.8 s-1 concurrent with the appearance of a 390-nm absorption due to protonated imine product with a limiting rate of 1.7 s-1. Both observed rates are somewhat faster than catalytic turnover (1.5 s-1). Under anaerobic conditions, the decay of protonated N-methyl-p-(N,N-dimethylamino)benzenimine is much slower than turnover (k = 4.8 x 10(4) s-1). p-(N,N-Dimethylamino)benzylamine reduces the enzyme with a limiting rate of 2.1 s-1, which is faster than catalytic turnover (1.2 s-1). Protonated imine formation is also observed with this substrate with an apparent limiting rate of 1.3 s-1. The decay of the protonated p-(N,N-dimethylamino)benzenimine absorbance is slower than catalytic turnover but faster than the rate of aldehyde formation under anaerobic conditions. Deuterium kinetic isotope effect values of approximately 10 are observed both for flavin reduction and for protonated imine formation. No isotope effect is observed for the rate of imine decay.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Substrate-specific enhancement of the oxidative half-reaction of monoamine oxidase

Monoamine oxidases A and B have identical flavin sites but different, although overlapping, amine substrate specificity. Reoxidation of ternary complexes containing substrate is much faster than of free enzyme, and the enhancement is greater in the A form than the B form. The oxidative half-reaction was studied with a variety of substrates to elucidate the specificity of the effect and to probe the different influences of substrate on the flavin reoxidation in the two forms of the enzyme. The second-order rate constant for the reoxidation was highest with monoamine oxidase A when kynuramine was the ligand (508 x 10(3) M-1 s-1) compared to 4 x 10(3) M-1 s-1 in its absence. MPTP (166 x 10(3) M-1 s-1) also enhanced reoxidation well, but indole substrates stimulated only poorly (e.g., tryptamine, 29 x 10(3) M-1 s-1; serotonin, 50 x 10(3) M-1 s-1). For the A form, the reduction of the flavin was rate-limiting in all cases. For the B form, reoxidation was rate-limiting for beta-phenylethylamine and contributed to the determination of the overall rate with several substrates. The ratio of the enhanced rate of oxidation to the rate of reduction correlated with the redox state of the enzyme in turnover experiments. All the observations are consistent with alternate paths of reoxidation, via either free enzyme or a reduced enzyme-substrate complex. The flux through each path is determined by the relative dissociation constants and rate constants.

The new generation of monoamine oxidase inhibitors

Irreversible and unspecific inhibitors of MAO were the first modern antidepressants, but after an initial success they fell into discredit due to adverse side effects. In the past two decades interest in MAO inhibitors has been renewed because of progress in basic research, a milestone being the finding that there are two subtypes of MAO, MAO-A and MAO-B. These are distinct proteins with high amino acid homology, coded by separate genes both located on the short arm of the human chromosome X. The enzyme subforms show different substrate specificities in vitro and different distributions within the central nervous system and in peripheral organs. In the central nervous system of man MAO-A seems to be mainly involved in the metabolism of 5 HT and noradrenaline, whereas 2-phenylethylamine and probably dopamine are predominantly deaminated by MAO-B. In the intestinal tract tyramine is mainly metabolized by MAO-A. These characteristics indicate distinct physiological functions of the two MAO-subforms. Several irreversible and reversible non-hydrazine inhibitors with relative selectivities for one of the MAO-subforms have been developed. They belong to various chemical classes with different modes of enzyme inhibition. These range from covalent mechanism based interaction (e.g. by propargyl- and allylamine derivatives) to pseudosubstrate inhibition (e.g. by 2-aminoethyl-carboxamides) and non-covalent interaction (e.g. by brofaromine, toloxatone and possibly moclobemide). The most important pharmacological effects of the new types of MAO inhibitors are those observed in neuropsychiatric disorders. The inhibitors of MAO-A show a favorable action in various forms of mental depression. The drugs seem to have about the same activity as other types of antidepressants, including tricyclic and related compounds as well as classical MAO inhibitors. The onset of action of the MAO-A inhibitors is claimed to be relatively fast. Other possible indications of these drugs include disorders with cognitive impairment, e.g. dementia of the Alzheimer type. In subjects with Parkinson's disease the MAO-B inhibitor L-deprenyl exerts a L-dopa-sparing effect, prolongs L-dopa action and seems to have a favorable influence regarding on-off disabilities. The action is in general transitory (months to several years). In addition L-deprenyl has been shown to delay the necessity for L-dopa treatment in patients with early parkinsonism. Whether the drug influence the progression of the disease is still a matter of debate. L-deprenyl also appears to have some antidepressant effect (especially in higher doses) and to exert a beneficial influence in other disorders, e.g. dementia of the Alzheimer type.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Biochemistry and genetics of monoamine oxidase

This chapter reviews the two mitochondrial flavin containing isozymes of monoamine oxidase. Section 1, "Biochemistry" discusses assays, substrates and inhibitors, phylogenic and tissue distribution, interactions with lipids, nutritional studies, protein structure, kinetic and chemical mechanistic proposals, and biosynthesis. Section 2, "Inheritance" discusses possible genes involved in expression, genetic studies of platelet MAO-B and fibroblast MAO-A, and chromosomal location. Section 3, "Molecular Genetics" reviews the cloning of their cDNAs, their intra- and interspecies homology and structural inferences made from deduced amino acid sequences. Section 4, "Regulation" gives an overview of levels in development and aging, and effect of drugs. The final section 5, "Role in Human Disease" discusses physiological function and effects of altered levels in humans and animal models including complete absence due to a submicroscopic chromosomal deletion in several human patients.

Interactions of tricyclic antidepressant drugs with human and rat monoamine oxidase type B

The effect of tricyclic antidepressant drugs on the deamination of phenylethylamine and benzylamine by monoamine oxidase (MAO) type B was investigated in vitro in human brain cortex, human platelet, and rat brain preparations. These drugs inhibited MAO activity as expected; however, an atypical biphasic response was observed with the tertiary amine tricyclic, clomipramine, and, to a somewhat lesser extent, with two other tertiary amine tricyclics, imipramine and amitriptyline, when benzylamine was used as the substrate in human tissue preparations. This atypical biphasic pattern was not found when we used the secondary amine antidepressant drugs, desipramine, desmethylclomipramine, or fluoxetine, or used phenylethylamine as the substrate, or used rat rather than human brain tissue. For the tricyclics exhibiting normal inhibition patterns, the same rank order of inhibition was observed with benzylamine as a substrate in all three types of tissue; however with phenylethylamine, differences in inhibition were found between rat and human tissues. These tricyclic-MAO interactional data suggest that secondary and tertiary amine tricyclics interact differently with human MAO type B, that rat and human MAO type B are not functionally identical, and also support other data that phenylethylamine and benzylamine are deaminated by different mechanisms.

Mechanistic positron emission tomography studies: demonstration of a deuterium isotope effect in the monoamine oxidase-catalyzed binding of [11C]L-deprenyl in living baboon brain

The application of positron emission tomography (PET) to the study of biochemical transformations in the living human and animal body requires the development of highly selective radiotracers whose concentrations in tissue provide a record of a discrete metabolic process. L-N-[11C-methyl]Deprenyl ([11C]L-deprenyl), a suicide inactivator of monoamine oxidase (MAO) type B, has been developed as a radiotracer for mapping MAO B in the living human and animal brain. In this investigation, [11C]L-deprenyl (1) and [11C]L-deprenyl-alpha, alpha-2H2 (2) have been compared in three different baboons by PET measurement of carbon-11 uptake and retention in the brain and the measurement of the amount of unchanged tracer in the arterial plasma over a 90-min time interval. For one baboon, N-[11C-methyl-2H3]L-deprenyl (3) was also studied. Kinetic parameters calculated using a three-compartment model revealed a deuterium isotope effect of 3.8 +/- 1.1. Comparison of the two tracers (1 and 2) in mouse brain demonstrated that deuterium substitution significantly reduced the amount of radioactivity bound to protein. HPLC and GLC analysis of the soluble radioactivity in mouse brain after injection of [11C]L-deprenyl showed the presence of [11C]methamphetamine as a major product along with unidentified labeled products. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide electrophoresis with carbon-14-labeled L-deprenyl showed that a protein of molecular weight 58,000 was labeled. These results establish that MAO-catalyzed cleavage of the alpha carbon-hydrogen bond on the propargyl group is the rate limiting (or a major rate contributing) step in the retention of carbon-11 in brain and that the in vivo detection of labeled products in brain after the injection of [11C]L-deprenyl provides a record of MAO activity.

Dietary fat source influences neuronal mitochondrial monoamine oxidase activity and macronutrient selection in rats

We previously reported that qualitative changes in dietary fat influence certain monoaminergic mediated behaviours such as pain sensitivity and thermoregulation in a cold environment after an amphetamine challenge. The purpose of this study was to further explore the behavioural consequences of alterations in dietary fat intake by examining another behaviour known to be mediated by the monoamines--food intake regulation--and to begin investigating a biochemical link between dietary fat composition and behaviour. Rats were stabilized to 20% (w/w) soybean oil (SBO) or lard diets for 10 days and then allowed to select for protein (PRO) and carbohydrate (CHO) intake. While total food intake was unchanged, rats fed the SBO diet selected lower PRO (3.1 +/- 0.6 vs. 4.9 +/- 0.6 g/day, SBO vs. lard, respectively) and higher CHO (9.6 +/- 0.7 vs. 7.8 +/- 1.2) intakes than those consuming the lard based diet. Comparable differences were seen in a second trial. Current evidence suggests that the regulation of PRO and CHO intake is under serotonergic control. Therefore to determine whether dietary fat is mediating its effect on macronutrient selection via alterations in serotonin (5HT) metabolism, brain stem concentrations of 5HT and its metabolite 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5HIAA) and whole brain (minus brain stem) mitochondrial monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity were measured in a separate set of animals fed the SBO or lard diets for 28 days. Vmax of MAO was decreased in rats fed the SBO diets (20.2 +/- 7.4 vs. 27.9 +/- 8.9 nmol/mg prot/20') compared to those fed the lard diets. Km was unaltered by dietary fat fed. The change in activity of MAO was insufficient to alter steady-state levels of 5HT or 5HIAA. We propose that changes in neuronal functioning, induced by altered dietary fat, contributed to the differences seen in PRO and CHO selection.

Mapping human brain monoamine oxidase A and B with 11C-labeled suicide inactivators and PET

The regional distributions of monoamine oxidase (MAO) types A and B have been identified in human brain in vivo with intravenously injected 11C-labeled suicide enzyme inactivators, clorgyline and L-deprenyl, and positron emission tomography. The rapid brain uptake and retention of radioactivity for both 11C tracers indicated irreversible trapping. The anatomical distribution of 11C paralleled the distribution of MAO A and MAO B in human brain in autopsy material. The corpus striatum, thalamus, and brainstem contained high MAO activity. The magnitudes of uptake of both [11C]clorgyline and L-[11C]deprenyl were markedly reduced in one subject treated with the antidepressant MAO inhibitor phenelzine. A comparison of the brain uptake and retention of the 11C-labeled inactive (D-) and active (L-) enantiomers of deprenyl showed rapid clearance of the inactive enantiomer and retention of the active enantiomer within MAO B-rich brain structures, in agreement with the known stereoselectivity of MAO B for L-deprenyl. Prior treatment with unlabeled L-deprenyl prevented retention of L-[11C]deprenyl. Thus, suicide enzyme inactivators labeled with positron emitters can be used to quantitate the distribution and kinetic characteristics of MAO in human brain structures.

The catalytic behaviour of monoamine oxidase

Evidence concerning the kinetic mechanism of the reaction catalyzed by monoamine oxidase is reviewed with particular reference to the possibility that the double-displacement mechanism followed by other substrates is not operative with benzylamine. The requirement for only one of the two products of the first half-reaction to be released in a double-displacement mechanism indicates that the available evidence does not exclude such a mechanism with benzylamine as the substrate. Cases in which substrates also act as time-dependent inhibitors are considered. The mechanism that can describe the inhibition and product formation is similar for the compounds MD 780236 and MPTP whereas that describing the effects of high concentrations of 2-phenethylamine is best described by a scheme involving inhibition occurring via an abortive complex.