Inhibition of Monoamine Oxidase Within Monoaminergic Neurons in the Rat Brain by (E)-β-Fluoromethylene-m-Tyrosine (MDL 72394)

The irreversible inhibition of the monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity within monoaminergic neurons in the rat brain 24 h after single or repeated administration of (E)-beta-fluoromethylene-m-tyrosine (FMMT, MDL 72394) was examined. The enzyme activity was determined by incubating synaptosome-rich homogenates of hypothalamus or striatum with low concentrations of 5-[14C]hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), [14C]noradrenaline (NA), or [14C]dopamine (DA) in the absence and presence of the selective amine uptake inhibitors citalopram (5-HT), maprotiline (NA), and GBR 12909 (DA). After a single subcutaneous injection of FMMT, the inhibition of MAO within the noradrenergic and dopaminergic neurons was significant but only slightly greater than that outside these neurons. The opposite relationship was observed for the serotonergic neurons. After 7 days' treatment of rats with carbidopa, 20 mg/kg p.o., + FMMT once daily, the preference for the inhibition of MAO within the noradrenergic and dopaminergic neurons was accentuated further. The inhibition outside the serotonergic neurons was still greater than within these neurons. The NA uptake inhibitor CPP 199 antagonized the selective inhibition of MAO within the noradrenergic neurons, which indicates that this preference is due to the accumulation of the active metabolite (E)-beta-fluoromethylene-m-tyramine by the NA transporter.     

Monoamine Oxidase Activities in Catfish (Parasilurus Asotus) Tissues

Abstract

The substrate- and inhibitor-related characteristics of monoamine oxidase (MAO) were studied for catfish brain and liver. The kinetic constants for MAO in both tissues were determined using 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), tyramine and β-phenylethylamine (PEA) as substrates. For both tissues, the V_max values were highest with 5-HT and lowest with PEA. The K_m value for the brain was highest with 5-HT, followed by tyramine and PEA; but for the liver its value was highest with PEA, followed by 5-HT and tyramine, although all values were in the same order of magnitude. The inhibition of MAO by clorgyline and deprenyl by use of 5-HT, tyramine and PEA as substrates showed that the MAO-A inhibitor clorgyline was more effective than the MAO-B inhibitor deprenyl for both catfish tissues; a single form was present since inhibition by clorgyline or deprenyl with 1000 μM PEA showed single phase sigmoid curves. It is concluded that catfish brain and liver contain a single form of MAO, relatively similar to mammalian MAO-A.     

Specific Irreversible Monoamine Oxidase B Inhibitors Stimulate Gene Expression of Aromatic L-Amino Acid Decarboxylase in PC12 Cells

The effect of some selective monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors on aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) gene expression in PC12 cells has been examined. Irreversible MAO B inhibitors [(-)-deprenyl, pargyline, and MDL 72,974A] stimulated AADC gene expression, whereas a selective irreversible MAO A inhibitor (clorgyline) and a reversible MAO B inhibitor (Ro 19-6327) had no effect. Because there is no apparent MAO B activity in PC12 cells, it is postulated that there is a novel site of action for these MAO B inhibitors and that the pharmacological profile of this site matches that of neuroprotective MAO B inhibitors. Finally, it is suggested that the stimulation of AADC gene expression may be relevant to the antiparkinsonian effects of MAO B inhibitors.     

Monoamine oxidase A mediates iodotyrosine formation induced by monoamines in bovine thyroid particulate fraction

Monoamines are able to increase the thyroid iodine organification in vitro. A predominance of the A form of monoamine oxidase (MAO) has been previously demonstrated to exist in bovine thyroid tissue. In the present study we have investigated the form of MAO that could be involved in the iodotyrosine formation induced by tyramine, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and beta-phenylethylamine (PEA) in a bovine thyroid subcellular fraction. The relative capacity of these monoamines to generate H2O2 and to incorporate iodine into tyrosine has also been studied. The MAO A inhibitor clorgyline (10(-9) M) produced a strong inhibition on the iodotyrosine formation induced by tyramine, 5-HT and PEA. In contrast, only a slight reduction was observed with deprenyl as MAO B inhibitor. Among the three monoamines, tyramine produced the highest H2O2 generation and iodotyrosine formation. The lowest Km value obtained was for 5-HT and the highest for PEA. Regarding the Vmax, the lowest value was for 5-HT and the highest for tyramine. The amount of iodine incorporated to tyrosine was not equivalent to the H2O2 generated by the monoamines nor to that exogenously added. Our results indicate that in bovine thyroid tissue mainly the A form of MAO is involved in the monoamine metabolism.     

Selective Inhibition of Monoamine Oxidase B by Aminoethyl Substituted Benzyl Ethers

Aminoethyl 3-chlorobenzyl ether was shown previously (Ding, C.Z. and Silverman, R.B. (1993). Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett., 3, 2077-2078) to be a potent and selective time-dependent, but reversible inhibitor of monoamine oxidase B (MAO B). Based on this result, a series of novel aminoethyl substituted benzyl ethers was synthesized and the compounds were examined as potential inhibitors of both isozymic forms of MAO. Each compound in the series inhibits both MAO A and MAO B competitively, and IC(50) values for each compound were determined. In general, the B isozyme is much more sensitive to these inhibitors than the A isozyme (except for the o- and p-substituted nitro analogues), in some cases by more than two orders of magnitude. The selectivity in favor of MAO B inhibition is relatively high for all of the meta-substituted analogues and quite low for all of the ortho-substituted analogues. Having the substituent at the ortho-position is most favorable for MAO A inhibition. With MAO B the meta-analogues were, in general, more potent than the corresponding ortho- and para-analogues with respect to their reversible binding constants. The meta-iodo analogue is the most potent analogue.     

Effect of monofluoromethyldopa (MFMD) on trace amine levels

The concentrations of the trace amines, m-tyramine, p-tyramine, phenylethylamine and tryptamine, were measured in the striatum of the brain and in the kidney of adult rats treated with alpha-monofluoromethyldopa (MFMD), an inhibitor of aromatic amino acid decarboxylase. While MFMD decreased the levels of all four amines in the kidney, only phenylethylamine and tryptamine levels were decreased in the striatum compared to control. Striatal p-tyramine levels were not affected, while striatal m-tyramine levels were increased by MFMD. When the rats were injected with a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor before MFMD administration, similar changes in striatal and kidney trace amine levels were observed compared to MFMD alone.     

The effect of various monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors on the response of blood pressure of rats and cats to tyramine

The "cheese effect" is the clinically most important side effect of structurally different MAO inhibitors. It occurs mainly as a result of the interaction of MAO inhibitor with tyramine in foodstuffs. Anaesthetised rats and cats were used in order to investigate and compare the influence of the effect of tyramine by selective MAO type-B inhibitors with that produced by non-selective and A-selective MAO inhibitors on the one hand, and on the other hand, different MAO-B inhibitors with (-)deprenyl. (-)Deprenyl was the only one which inhibited the effect of tyramine in the experimental animals used, while other MAO inhibitors potentiated the tyramine effect. Therefore this study indicates that not only non-selective and A-selective inhibitors potentiate the effect of tyramine but selective inhibitors of B-type MAO as well. The inhibition of tyramine uptake by (-)deprenyl is a remarkable exception from the rule.     

The Novel Neuropsychotropic Agent Milacemide Is a Specific Enzyme-Activated Inhibitor of Brain Monoamine Oxidase B

The novel neuropsychotropic agent milacemide hydrochloride (2-n-pentylaminoacetamide HCl) is a highly selective substrate of the B form of monoamine oxidase (EC 1.4.3.4; MAO). Under the in vitro conditions used in the present study, milacemide acts as an enzyme-activated, partially reversible inhibitor of MAO-B. A reversible inhibition of MAO-A activity is also observed at high concentrations. The inhibitory activity of milacemide is significantly greater for MAO-B. In vivo, after single or repeated oral administration, a specific inhibition of MAO-B is apparent in brain and liver, with a lack of inhibition of the MAO-A activity. In contrast to the irreversible inhibitory action of L-deprenyl, the recovery of MAO-B activity in vivo after milacemide administration is significantly faster, a result suggesting that it is a partially reversible inhibitor. The selective inhibitory effect of milacemide for MAO-B in vivo is confirmed by its potentiation of phenylethylamine-induced stereotyped behavior, whereas vasopressor responses to tyramine were not affected. These observations suggest that milacemide could enhance dopaminergic activity in the brain and could be used as therapy for Parkinson's disease in association with L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine.     

Monoamine oxidase inhibition by pyrrole quinoline derivatives

The effect of 1-(beta-aminoethyl)-3H-pyrrole[2,3-h]quinoline (I), 3-(beta-aminoethyl)-1H-pyrrole[2,3-h]quinoline (I'), 8-amino-3H-pyrrole[2,3-h]quinoline (II), 6-amino-3H-pyrrole[2,3-h]quinoline (II') and 8-amino-1H-pyrrole[2,3-h]quinoline (III) on tyramine, serotonin and 2-phenylethylamine deaminase activities of mitochondrial monoamine oxidase from bovine brain were studied. All the compounds tested appeared to be reversibly inhibit MAO without preliminary incubation. Compounds II, II' and III specifically inhibited type A MAO; compound III exhibited the highest selectivity. The inhibition was of a mixed type. The effects of compounds I and I' were competitive and inconsistent with a classical concept on the dual activity of MAO, i. e., deamination of tyramine, a substrate common for MAO type A and MAO type B was inhibited in a greater degree than the deamination of specific substrates of MAO type A (serotonin) or type B (2-phenylethylamine). Possible reasons for the observed phenomenon are discussed.     

Monoamine oxidase inhibitory properties of optical isomers and N-substituted derivatives of 4-methylthioamphetamine

(+/-)-4-Methylthioamphetamine (MTA) was resolved into its enantiomers, and a series of N-alkyl derivatives of the parent compound, as well as its alpha-ethyl analogue, were prepared. The monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitory properties of these substances were evaluated in vitro, using a crude rat brain mitochondrial suspension as the source of enzyme. All compounds produced a selective, reversible and concentration-related inhibition of MAO-A. (+)-MTA proved to be the most potent inhibitor studied, while all the other derivatives were less active than the parent compound, with (-)-MTA being about 18 times less potent than the (+) isomer. The analysis of structure-activity relationships indicates that the introduction of alkyl substituents on the amino group of MTA leads to a reduction in the potency of the derivatives as MAO-A inhibitors, an effect which increases with the size of the substituent.     

Monoamine oxidase B induces ERK-dependent cell mitogenesis by hydrogen peroxide generation

The mitochondrial enzyme monoamine oxidase (MAO) A and B catalyze the oxidative deamination of various endogenous and exogenous biogenic amines. In the present study, we used human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK 293) cells stably transfected with human MAO-B cDNA to investigate the potential role of hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) produced by MAO-B isoform as an intracellular messenger involved in regulation of cell signaling and function. The MAO substrate tyramine induced tyrosine phosphorylation of Shc, ERK activation, and an increase in DNA synthesis in HEK 293 expressing MAO-B, but not in wild type HEK 293 cells, which do not express MAO. Tyramine effects were fully prevented by cell pretreatment with the MAO inhibitor pargyline or the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine. These results show that MAO-B induces MAPK/ERK activation and cell mitogenesis through H(2)O(2) production.     

Inhibition of Monoamine Oxidase by 7-Chloro-4-Nitrobenzofurazan

7-Chloro-4-nitrobenzofurazan (NBD-Cl) is a potent inhibitor of both types of monoamine oxidase (MAO). NBD-Cl competitively inhibited the oxidative deamination of kynuramine catalyzed by human placenta MAO-A, the oxidative deamination of benzylamine catalyzed by bovine liver MAO-B, the oxidative deamination of serotonin catalyzed by rat brain MAO-A, and the oxidative deamination of phenylethylamine catalyzed by rat brain MAO-B. In addition, a time-dependent inactivation of MAOs by NBD-Cl has been demonstrated upon incubation of the enzyme preparations with NBD-Cl at pH 9, but not at pH 7.5. The time-dependent inhibition of MAO by NBD-Cl could be prevented by the addition of 4-nitrophenyl azide, an active site-directed label of MAO, during incubation of the enzyme with NBD-Cl. On the basis of these findings, it is suggested that at pH 9, NBD-Cl modifies one (or more) essential lysine residue(s) in the active sites of the two types of MAO.     

A and B Forms of Monoamine Oxidase Within the Monoaminergic Neurons of the Rat Brain

The inhibition of the A and B forms of monoamine oxidase (MAO) inside and outside serotonergic, noradrenergic, and dopaminergic synaptosomes in homogenates of rat hypothalamus or striatum by clorgyline, a selective and irreversible MAO-A inhibitor, and selegiline, a selective and irreversible MAO-B inhibitor, was examined. Intrasynaptosomal deamination at low concentrations of the substrates [14C]5-hydroxytryptamine ([14C]5-HT; 0.1 microM), [14C]noradrenaline (0.25 microM), [14C]3,4-dihydroxyphenylethylamine ([14C]dopamine; 0.25 microM), and [14C]tyramine (0.25 microM) was hindered by selective uptake inhibitors (citalopram, maprotiline, and amfonelic acid) in the incubation media. Thus, the difference between the deamination of 14C-amine in the absence and presence of the appropriate selective uptake inhibitor provided a measure of deamination in the specific aminergic synaptosomes. This was verified by determining the loss of MAO activity within noradrenergic and serotonergic systems after degeneration of the nerve terminals by the neurotoxins N-chloroethyl-N-ethyl-2-bromobenzylamine and p-chloroamphetamine. Results with the two inhibitors revealed that the A and B forms were responsible for 80 and 20%, respectively, of the deamination of [14C]5-HT within serotonergic synaptosomes from the hypothalamus. The deamination of [14C]noradrenaline within the noradrenergic synaptosomes from the hypothalamus and that of [14C]dopamine and [14C]tyramine within the striatal dopaminergic synaptosomes were due to MAO-A. About 10% of the deamination of [14C]noradrenaline, [14C]dopamine, and [14C]tyramine outside the noradrenergic or dopaminergic synaptosomes was brought about by the B form, with the remainder being deaminated by MAO-A.     

Fluorinated phenylcyclopropylamines. Part 3: Inhibition of monoamine oxidase A and B

Fluorinated phenylcyclopropylamines and alkylamines were examined as inhibitors of recombinant human liver monoamine oxidase A (MAO A) and B (MAO B). For a series of trans- and cis-2-fluoro-2-phenylcyclopropylamine analogues, the presence of fluorine attached to a cyclopropane ring was found to result in an increase in inhibitory activity towards both MAO A and B. In addition, p-substitution of electron-withdrawing groups such as Cl and F in the aromatic ring of the trans-isomers increased the inhibition of both enzymes. (1S,2S)-2-Fluoro-2-phenylcyclopropylamine was a more potent inhibitor of both MAO A and B than was the (1R,2R)-enantiomer, indicating that the presence of fluorine has no influence on the enantioselectivity of MAO inhibition, since a similar effect of stereochemistry has been reported for tranylcypromine. Interestingly, fluorination at the 2-position of 1-phenycyclopropylamine, which is known as a selective inhibitor of MAO B relative to MAO A, reversed the selectivity and resulted in a potent inhibitor selective for MAO A. All inhibitors showed time- and concentration-dependent inhibition for both enzymes, with the exception of trans-2-fluoro-2-phenylcyclopropyl ethylamine, which acts as a competitive and reversible MAO A selective inhibitor.     

Substrate Selectivity of Type A and Type B Monoamine Oxidase in Rat Brain

Abstract: Use of the irreversible inhibitors clorgyline and deprenyl showed that rat brain mitochondria contain type A and type B monoamine oxidase (MAO). Tyramine is a substrate for both types of MAO, whereas serotonin is a preferential substrate for type A MAO. In contrast to MAO in other tissues, type A MAO in brain tissue oxidizes β-phenylethylamine (PEA) at high concentrations (0.5 and 1.0 mM). The proportions of type A and type B MAO activities in the mitochondria estimated from the double-sigmoidal inhibition curves of tyramine oxidation were about 70:30 irrespective of the concentration of tyramine. With PEA as substrate, the ratios of type A to type B activities were found to increase from low values at low concentrations to about 1 at 0.5-1.0 mM-PEA, and even higher at further increased concentrations of PEA. At very low (0.01 mM) and high (10.0 mM) concentrations of PEA, single-sigmoidal curves were obtained; with the high PEA concentration the activity was highly sensitive to clorgyline, whereas with the low concentration it was highly sensitive to deprenyl. In deprenyl-pretreated mitochondrial preparations, all the remaining activity towards 0.5-1.0 mM-PEA was shown to be highly sensitive to clorgyline, demonstrating that this activity was indeed due to oxidation by type A MAO. The opposite result was obtained with deprenyl as inhibitor of clorgyline-pretreated preparations, demonstrating that PEA at this concentration was also oxidized by type B MAO in rat brain mitochondria. The K₃ values of type A and type B MAO for PEA were significantly different. On Lineweaver-Burk analysis, plots with PEA as substrate for type A MAO in a deprenyl-treated preparation were linear over a wide concentration range, whereas those for type B MAO in a clorgyline-treated preparation were not linear, but showed substrate inhibition at higher concentrations of the substrate. It is concluded from the present findings that the effect of the substrate concentration must be considered in studies on the characteristics of multiple forms of MAO in various organs and species.     

Purification,Characterization, and Crystallization of Monoamine Oxidase from Escherichia coli K-12

The gene for monoamine oxidase (MAO) was cloned from an Escherichia coli genomic library and MAO was overproduced in the periplasmic space. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity by preparation of a periplasmic fraction, followed by ammonium sulfate fractionation and DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. Crystals were obtained by the hanging drop method using sodium citrate as a precipitant. The enzyme was found to be a dimer of identical subunits with a molecular weight of 80,000, and showed the highest activity at pH 7.5 and 45°C. The enzyme was inhibited by a MAO specific inhibitor, hydroxylamine, hydrazine, phenelzine, isoniazid, and tranycypromine. The enzyme oxidized tyramine, phenethylamine, and tryptamine at higher rates, but not oxidized diamine and polyamines such as putrecine and spermine. The antibody against E. coli MAO cross-reacted with purified MAO A from Klebsiella aerogenes.     

4-(O-Benzylphenoxy)-N-Methylbutylamine (Bifemelane) and Other 4-(O-Benzylphenoxy)-N-Methylalkylamines as New Inhibitors of Type A and B Monoamine Oxidase

4-(O-Benzylphenoxy)-N-methylbutylamine (Bifemelane, BP-N-methylbutylamine), a new psychotropic drug, was found to inhibit monoamine oxidase (MAO) in human brain synaptosomes. It inhibited type A MAO (MAO-A) competitively and type B (MAO-B) noncompetitively. BP-N-methylbutylamine had a much higher affinity to MAO-A than an amine substrate, kynuramine, and it was a more potent inhibitor of MAO-A than of MAO-B. The Ki values of MAO-A and -B were determined to be 4.20 and 46.0 microM, respectively, while the Km values of MAO-A and -B with kynuramine were 44.1 and 90.0 microM, respectively. The inhibition of MAO-A and -B by BP-N-methylbutylamine was found to be reversible by dialysis of the incubation mixture. MAO-A in human placental and liver mitochondria and in a rat clonal pheochromocytoma cell line, PC12h, was inhibited competitively by BP-N-methylbutylamine, while MAO-B in human liver mitochondria was inhibited noncompetitively, as in human brain synaptosomes. BP-N-methylbutylamine was not oxidized by MAO-A and -B. The effects of other BP-N-methylalkylamines, such as BP-N-methylethylamine, -propylamine, and -pentanylamine, on MAO activity were examined. BP-N-methylbutylamine was the most potent inhibitor of MAO-A, and BP-N-methylethylamine and -propylamine inhibited MAO-B competitively, whereas BP-N-methylbutylamine and -pentanylamine inhibited it noncompetitively. Inhibition of these BP-N-methylalkylamines on MAO-A and -B is discussed in relation to their chemical structure.     

Inhibition of Type A Monoamine Oxidase by Methylquinolines and Structurally Related Compounds

Abstract: A series of methylquinolines (MQ) were found to inhibit markedly type A monoamine oxidase (MAO) in human brain synaptosomal mitochondria. 4-MQ and 6-MQ inhibited type A MAO (MAO-A) competitively and 7- and 8-MQ inhibited MAO-A noncompetitively. Among these four isomers of MQ, 6-MQ was the most potent inhibitor; the K _i value toward MAO-A was 23.4 ± 1.8 μ M , which was smaller than the K _m value toward kynuramine, ± amine substrate, 46.2 ± 2.8 μ M . On the other hand, MQ were very weak inhibitors of type B MAO (MAO-B) and 8-MQ did not inhibit MAO-B in brain synaptosomal mitochondria. The inhibition of MAO-A proved to be reversible; by dialysis the inhibition of MQ was completely reversible. The affinity of these isomers of MQ toward MAO-A or -B was confirmed further with human liver mitochondria as sources of MAO-A and -B and with human placental mitochondria and rat pheochromocytoma PC12h cell line as sources of MAO-A. The relationship of the chemical structure of structurally related quinoline and isoquinoline derivatives to inhibition of the activity of type A or B MAO was examined.     

Interaction of N-(2-Nitro-4-Azidophenyl)-Serotonin with Two Types of Monoamine Oxidase in Rat Brain

The effects of N-(2-nitro-4-azidophenyl) serotonin (NAP-5-HT) on types A and B monoamine oxidase (MAO) in rat brain cortex were studied. In the dark this compound acted as a competitive inhibitor for both types A and B MAO (Ki values of 0.19 microM and 0.21 microM for types A and B MAO, respectively). Upon photolysis, NAP-5-HT became an irreversible inhibitor for only type B MAO. A 50% inhibition was obtained by irradiation of the enzyme in the presence of 35 nM NAP-5-HT. Furthermore the inhibition of type B MAO could be protected by including its substrate phenylethylamine during the irradiation. Under the same photolytic conditions photodependent inhibition of type A MAO by NAP-5-HT was not clearly observed. These results provide further evidence that there is a fundamental difference in the active site of the two types of MAO in brain. NAP-5-HT may be a useful photoaffinity probe for characterizing the active site of type B MAO.     

Chlorphentermine inhibits pulmonary mitochondrial monoamine oxidase

Oxidation of six amine substrates by rat, rabbit and guinea-pig lung mitochondrial monoamine oxidase (MAO) was investigated polarographically with a Clark oxygen electrode in the presence of chlorphentermine (CP). This amphiphilic drug decreased the deamination of serotonin, norepinephrine, tyramine and dopamine significantly in all three species. However, the oxidation of tryptamine and benzylamine was unchanged. Amine oxidation by MAO in guinea-pig lung mitochondria was much more sensitive to the CP-mediated inhibition than rat or rabbit. A kinetic study of serotonin oxidation in the absence and presence of CP showed that both Vmax and Km were affected. These combined data indicate that CP is a specific inhibitor of pulmonary, mitochondrial monoamine oxidase form A with mixed-type inhibition.