Studies of monoamine oxidases. Inhibition of bovine brain MAO in intact mitochondria by selective inhibitors

Diverse actions of ovarian steroids in the serotonin neural system

All of the serotonin-producing neurons of the mammalian brain are located in 10 nuclei in the mid- and hindbrain regions. The cells of the rostal nuclei project to almost every area of the forebrain and regulate diverse neural processes from higher order functions in the prefrontal cortex such as integrative cognition and memory, to limbic system control of arousal and mood, to diencephalic functions such as pituitary hormone secretion, satiety, and sexual behavior. The more caudal serotonin neurons project to the spinal cord and interact with numerous autonomic and sensory systems. All of these neural functions are sensitive to the presence or absence of the ovarian hormones, estrogen and progesterone. We have shown that serotonin neurons in nonhuman primates contain estrogen receptor beta and progestin receptors. Thus, they are targets for ovarian steroids which in turn modify gene expression. Any change in serotoninergic neural function could be manifested by a change in any of the projection target systems and in this manner, serotonin neurons integrate steroid hormone information and partially transduce their action in the CNS. This article reviews the work conducted in this laboratory on the actions of estrogens and progestins in the serotonin neural system of nonhuman primates. Comparisons to results obtained in other laboratory animal models are made when available and limited clinical data are referenced. The ability of estrogens and progestins to alter the function of the serotonin neural system at various levels provides a cellular mechanism whereby ovarian hormones can impact cognition, mood or arousal, hormone secretion, pain, and other neural circuits.

Monoamine oxidase: from genes to behavior

Cloning of MAO (monoamine oxidase) A and B has demonstrated unequivocally that these enzymes are made up of different polypeptides, and our understanding of MAO structure, regulation, and function has been significantly advanced by studies using their cDNA. MAO A and B genes are located on the X-chromosome (Xp11.23) and comprise 15 exons with identical intron-exon organization, which suggests that they are derived from the same ancestral gene. MAO A and B knock-out mice exhibit distinct differences in neurotransmitter metabolism and behavior. MAO A knock-out mice have elevated brain levels of serotonin, norephinephrine, and dopamine and manifest aggressive behavior similar to human males with a deletion of MAO A. In contrast, MAO B knock-out mice do not exhibit aggression and only levels of phenylethylamine are increased. Mice lacking MAO B are resistant to the Parkinsongenic neurotoxin, 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetra-hydropyridine. Both MAO A and B knock-out mice show increased reactivity to stress. These knock-out mice are valuable models for investigating the role of monoamines in psychoses and neurodegenerative and stress-related disorders.

The inhibition of monoamine oxidase by tricyclic antidepressants: the influence of the nature of the substrate and the source of the enzyme

Five tricyclic antidepressants, amitriptyline, clomipramine, desipramine, imipramine and iprindole, have comparable potencies as inhibitors of monoamine oxidase in rodent brain and liver. With rodent brain, potency was always greater with phenethylamine as substrate than with benzylamine, and was generally least with 5-HT. With mouse liver, in which monoamine oxidase is mainly B type, potency with tyramine and dopamine as substrates was close to that found with phenethylamine. The kinetics of inhibition varied with both the substrate and the tissue, and were inconsistent with a simple ping-pong model for substrate oxidation. The relevance of these observations to clinical effectiveness is discussed.

Biochemistry and physiology of monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity in the ring dove (Streptopelia risoria). II. Distribution of MAO in different tissues

Monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity was measured fluorometrically in liver, kidney, intestine and brain of adult male and female ring doves. Liver MAO was inhibited in a concentration-related fashion by clorgyline and harmaline (MAO type A inhibitors) where a plateau in the inhibition curve occurred with about 15% activity remaining, and also by the type B inhibitor deprenyl, which produced a plateau when about 85% activity remained. Kidney, intestine and brain MAO were inhibited in a biphasic manner by harmaline. Results with inhibitors suggest that 85% of liver MAO, 86% of kidney MAO, 88% of intestine and 75% of brain MAO is type A. Using 10(-6) M harmaline to differentiate between MAO-A and MAO-B type activities, the apparent maximal velocities (Vmax) and Michaelis constants (Km) were determined in different tissues. Most activity occurred in the intestine, with proportionally lesser amounts of kidney, liver and brain. The majority of MAO present was in the A form. Except for kidney, Km of MAO-B was higher than that of MAO-A. Both MAO-A and -B activities were higher in the intestines of male birds, although sex differences in content and type of MAO activity were not observed in other tissues of the ring dove.

Thermal inactivation of mouse brain monoamine oxidase type A and type B

Mouse brain monoamine oxidase (MAO) type A and type B were incubated at 54 degrees C and samples removed for up to 60 min, and remaining MAO activity was determined. Total MAO activity, type A activity and type B activity all disappeared, presumably due to thermal denaturation, in a time-dependent fashion. The rate of disappearance of MAO type B was faster than that of type A both at pH 7.4 and at pH 9.2, though both types denatured faster at the higher pH compared to the lower pH.

Characteristics of monoamine oxidase activity in brain and other organs of the adult bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana

1. Monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity was measured in brain, liver, kidney and intestine of the adult bullfrog by a fluorometric method. 2. All tissues contained both type A and type B MAO, on the basis of responses to specific inhibitors, but with different ratios in each tissue. 3. MAO activity was optimum at 30 degrees C. However, MAO type B showed greater activity changes related to incubation temperature than did type A. 4. The Michaelis constant (Km) of MAO also varied with temperature, with a nadir around 20 degrees C. The functional significance of this is not clear. 5. Arrhenius plots showed that the activation energy for MAO B was higher than for MAO A.

Effects of inhibitors on monoamine oxidase activity in perch (Perca flavescens) brain in vitro

1. Perch brain homogenates were incubated in vitro and monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity was determined fluorometrically, using a kynuramine substrate. 2. Clorgyline, harmaline and deprenyl inhibited MAO activity in a concentration-related manner, with single sigmoid inhibition curves, and the type A inhibitors harmaline and clorgyline were more effective than the type B inhibitor deprenyl. 3. Two types of inhibition were recognized in vitro; a fast-onsetting inhibition, similar to that produced by a reversible inhibitor, and a slow-onsetting inhibition, which is time- and concentration-dependent and presumably represents inactivation of the enzyme.

Some characteristics of monoamine oxidase activity in tissues of the adult female grassfrog (Rana pipiens)

1. Monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity was measured fluorometrically in tissues of the grass-frog, Rana pipiens. 2. Incubation with specific inhibitors revealed the presence of two forms of MAO, type A and type B, in all tissues examined, though the ratios were different in each tissue. 3. Liver contained the greatest, and oviduct and skeletal muscle the lowest amounts of MAO activity, and brain also contained relatively high MAO levels. 4. The apparent Michaelis constant (Km) was similar in most tissues but was higher in pancreas, muscle and oviduct. Values of Km were lower than those reported for mammalian tissues.

The acetylenic monoamine oxidase inhibitors clorgyline, deprenyl, pargyline and J-508: their properties and applications

The article presents a short review of some of the properties of the acetylenic inhibitors of monoamine oxidase currently under investigation: clorgyline, (—)-deprenyl, pargyline and J-508. Their substrate-selective inactivation, mechanism of inhibition, titration and pharmacology with respect to monoamine oxidase are critically discussed.

Oxidation of beta-phenylethylamine by both types of monoamine oxidase: examination of enzymes in brain and liver mitochondria of eight species

beta-Phenylethylamine (PEA) was characterized as a substrate for type A and type B monoamine oxidase (MAO) in brain and liver mitochondria of eight species at different substrate concentrations. In all species, at 10.0 microM, PEA was almost specific for type B MAO. At 1000 microM, however, the amine was common for both types of MAO in rat brain and liver, human brain and liver, mouse brain, guinea pig brain and liver, and bovine brain, while it was specific for type B MAO in mouse liver, rabbit brain and liver, bovine liver, pig brain and liver, and chicken brain and liver. From the present study, when PEA is used as a type B substrate, it is recommended that the substrate concentration should be sufficiently low to avoid the effects of species and tissue differences.