Further studies on semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase activities (SSAO) of white adipose tissue.

1. White adipose tissue (WAT) from mice, rabbits, pigs and human subjects was investigated for the characterization of the tissue-bound semicarbazide-sensitive benzylamine oxidase activities (SSAO) present in each species. 2. Enzymes from mice, rabbits and pigs shared similar biochemical characteristics: they exerted histaminase activity, oxidized methylamine and acetylputrescine and were completely blocked by carbonyl reagents and by 3,5-ethoxy-4-aminomethylpyridyne (B24), in a dose-dependent fashion. 3. SSAO activity from human WAT had a lower affinity for benzylamine compared with enzymes in the other species and did not show any histaminase activity. 4. These results show that SSAO from human tissues might have different properties from SSAO of other species.