Inactivation of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 by the amine oxidase-peroxidase system

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is rapidly inactivated by exposure to a naturally occurring antimicrobial system consisting of peroxidase, H2O2, and a halide. Among the potential sources of H2O2 is the amine oxidase system in which mono-, di-, and polyamines are oxidatively deaminated with the formation of H2O2. The polyamine spermine is present at exceptionally high concentrations in semen. We report here that spermine, spermidine, and, to a lesser degree, the synthetic polyamine 15-deoxyspergualin are viricidal to HIV-1 when combined with amine oxidase and myeloperoxidase. Antiviral activity required each component of the spermine-amine oxidase-peroxidase system and was inhibited by azide (a peroxidase inhibitor) and by catalase but not by superoxide dismutase. Heat treatment of catalase largely abolished its inhibitory effect. These findings implicate H2O2 formed by the amine oxidase system in the antiviral effect and raise the possibility that the polyamine-amine oxidase-peroxidase system influences the survival of HIV-1 in semen and in the vaginal canal.

Occurrence of mitochondrial monoamine oxidase in human semen

Mitochondrial monoamine oxidase (MAO) was found in human semen, showing its Km and Vmax values of 91.7 microM and 290 pmoles/mg of protein/60 min, respectively, with kynuramine as substrate. A major part of the activity was due to type A MAO.

Inhibition of rat spermatogenesis and seminiferous tubule growth after short-term and long-term administration of a monoamine oxidase inhibitor

Seminiferous tubules from rats killed 24 hours after injection of pargyline, a monoamine oxidase inhibitor, did not grow well in tissue culture when compared to control tubules. Treated tubules showed severe tubular degeneration and loss of cellular detail after nine days in culture. Animals injected with pargyline for ten days had varying degrees of semi-niferous tubule degeneration with depletion of the spermatogenic elements. It is suggested that pargyline has a detrimental effect on spermatogenesis. Pargyline possibly acts by decreasing MAO levels which, in turn, may increase potentially damaging amines which may be responsible for the testicular damage.