Studies of monoamine oxidase and semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase. I. Inhibition by a selective monoamine oxidase-B inhibitor, MD 780236

In vitro studies of the effect of MD 780236, a selective monoamine oxidase (MAO)-B inhibitor, on a semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase (SSAO) in rat testis and lung showed that this compound dose-dependently inhibited SSAO activity. The extents of inhibition of MAO-A, -B and SSAO in these two rat tissues by this compound after 30 min of preincubation were found to be MAO-B greater than MAO-A greater than SSAO. This selectivity was also evident in preparations without preincubation. Degree of inhibition of SSAO was not significantly influenced by pretreatment with either 10(-3) M clorgyline, I-deprenyl or 10(-4) M SKF 525A. Inhibition of SSAO was not enhanced by varying the time of preincubation of the enzyme and the compound, indicating direct action on and reversible inhibition of SSAO. The inhibition of SSAO by MD 780236 was non-competitive with or without preincubation, with a K1 value of 110 muM. Although MD 780236 is a selective and "suicide substrate" inhibitor of MAO-B, these present results indicate that this compound may also inhibit SSAO activity, but by a mechanism different from that for MAO-B. These findings confirm an earlier hypothesis that compounds that inhibit both MAO and SSAO have totally different modes of action on these two different amine oxidases.     

New pyrrole inhibitors of monoamine oxidase: synthesis, biological evaluation, and structural determinants of MAO-A and MAO-B selectivity

A series of new pyrrole derivatives have been synthesized and evaluated for their monoamine oxidase (MAO) A and B inhibitory activity and selectivity. N-Methyl,N-(benzyl),N-(pyrrol-2-ylmethyl)amine (7) and N-(2-benzyl),N-(1-methylpyrrol-2-ylmethyl)amine (18) were the most selective MAO-B (7, SI = 0.0057) and MAO-A (18, SI = 12500) inhibitors, respectively. Docking and molecular dynamics simulations gave structural insights into the MAO-A and MAO-B selectivity. Compound 18 forms an H-bond with Gln215 through its protonated amino group into the MAO-A binding site. This H-bond is absent in the 7/MAO-A complex. In contrast, compound 7 places its phenyl ring into an aromatic cage of the MAO-B binding pocket, where it forms charge-transfer interactions. The slightly different binding pose of 18 into the MAO-B active site seems to be forced by a bulkier Tyr residue, which replaces a smaller Ile residue present in MAO-A.     

Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase (SSAO) inhibitors with anti-inflammatory activity

In an attempt to examine the effect of inhibition of semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase (SSAO; EC 1.4.3.6, also known as VAP-1) as a novel anti-inflammatory target, the structure/mechanism based design and synthesis of a series of novel hydrazino-containing small molecules are described. The in vitro biological results show that compounds 4a,c are highly potent SSAO inhibitors with notable selectivity toward SSAO over monoamine oxidases A and B (MAO-A and MAO-B). SAR studies based on compound 4c were performed, and the results are discussed. The most potent and selective compound, 4a (IC(50) = 2 nM), is an orally active, competitive, and apparently irreversible inhibitor of SSAO that is effective at reducing disease incidence and severity in an in vivo animal disease model of multiple sclerosis.     

Localization of monoamine oxidase A and B and semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase in human peripheral tissues

Monoamine oxidase (MAO) A and B and semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase (SSAO) localizations in peripheral human tissues were compared by immunohistochemistry. The primary antibodies used were mouse monoclonal anti-human MAO-A (6G11/E1) and anti-human MAO-B (3F12/G10/2E3) and a rabbit polyclonal anti-bovine SSAO antibody. Immunoreactivities of the samples, obtained from 6 routine autopsy cases, showed different distributions in the tissues studied (heart, lung, duodenum, liver, pancreas, spleen, thyroid gland, adrenal gland and kidney). The relative MAO-A, MAO-B and SSAO distributions indicated a widespread distribution of these enzymes in the human body that is characterized by a matching cellular pattern in only few tissues. These differences suggest that each amine oxidase may play a specific function in, at least some, peripheral tissues.     

Styrene inhibits monoamine oxidase A, but not monoamine oxidase B in monkey brain mitochondria

The effects of styrene on mitochondrial monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity in rat and monkey brains were compared in vitro. After preincubation at 25 degrees C for 20 min with 1 mM styrene monomer MAO-A activity in monkey brain was inhibited potently using 5-HT (for MAO-A substrate), but MAO-B activity in monkey brain and platelets were slightly inhibited using beta-PEA (for MAO-B substrate). Styrene monomer also competitively inhibited MAO-A activity in a dose-dependent manner. MAO-A in monkey brain was inhibited by styrene in ascending order of potency: styrene trimer>styrene dimer>styrene monomer. In contrast styrene monomer slightly inhibited both MAO-A and MAO-B activities in rat brain mitochondria. In the present study styrene monomer potently inhibits MAO-A activity, but not MAO-B activity, in monkey brain mitochondria in vitro. These results indicate the inhibiting action of styrene differs depending on animal species and MAO isoforms.     

Inhibition of monoamine oxidase A-form and semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase by selective and reversible monoamine oxidase-A inhibitors, amiflamine and FLA 788(+)

In vitro studies demonstrated that two selective monoamine oxidase (MAO)-A inhibitors, amiflamine and FLA 788(+), have been shown to inhibit semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase (SSAO) in rat testis and lung homogenates in a concentration-dependent way. The inhibition was not greatly influenced by pretreatment of the preparations with either clorgyline (10(-3) mol/l), l-deprenyl (10(-3) mol/l) or SKF 525A (10(-4) mol/l). The two compounds showed a time-dependent inhibition of SSAO, and for the initial phase of the inhibition, amiflamine is a competitive inhibitor with a Kislope of 135 mumol/l, but FLA 788(+) is a noncompetitive inhibitor with a Ki value of 180 mumol/l. After preincubation for 60 min at 37 degrees C, however, inhibition by amiflamine was found to be essentially irreversible whereas that produced by FLA 788(+) was still noncompetitive and reversible. These two compounds also reversibly and competitively inhibited rat testis MAO-A with FLA 788(+) being much more selective towards this MAO (Kislope = 0.26 mumol/l for FLA 788(+) and 7 mumol/l for amiflamine, respectively). The present results indicate that both MAO-A-selective inhibitors also inhibit SSAO in vitro, but their properties as SSAO inhibitors differ from those as MAO-A inhibitors.     

Inhibition of rat brain monoamine oxidase activity by cerebral anti-ischemic agent, ifenprodil

Ifenprodil, which is clinically used as a cerebral vasodilator, inhibited rat brain type A (MAO-A) and type B (MAO-B) monoamine oxidase activity. It did not, however, affect rat lung semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase. The degree of inhibition of either form of MAO was not changed by 30 min preincubation of the enzyme preparations at 37 degrees C with ifenprodil. Modes of inhibition of MAO-A and MAO-B by ifenprodil were competitive towards oxidation of their respective substrates, 5-hydroxytryptamine and benzylamine, with Ki values of 75 microM for inhibition of MAO-A and 110 microM for inhibition of MAO-B.     

Studies of monoamine oxidase and semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase. II. Inhibition by alpha-methylated substrate-analogue monoamines, alpha-methyltryptamine, alpha-methylbenzylamine and two enantiomers of alpha-methylbenzylamine

The alpha-methylated substrate-analogue monoamines, dl-alpha-methyltryptamine, dl-alpha-methylbenzylamine and two optical isomers of alpha-methylbenzylamine, were shown to be inhibitors of rat lung semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase (SSAO), with dl-alpha-methyltryptamine being the most potent and d-alpha-methylbenzylamine, the least. The three compounds, dl-alpha-methyltryptamine and the two isomers of alpha-methylbenzylamine also inhibited rat brain monoamine oxidase (MAO)-A and -B with a greater selectivity towards MAO-A. Preincubation of rat lung and brain homogenates with either of these compounds revealed that the inhibition of MAO and SSAO is reversible. The modes of inhibition of MAO-A and -B were competitive with the substrates tested. However, inhibition of SSAO by dl-alpha-methyltryptamine was found to be a mixed type (with a Ki value of 47 microM) and those by the racemic form and two isomers of alpha-methylbenzylamine were non-competitive (with Ki values of 90 microM for the racemic compound, 1070 microM for the d-isomer and 72 microM for the l-isomer). The present results indicate that SSAO can recognize optical isomers and that some alpha-methylated monoamines tested in the present study inhibit SSAO with properties different from those as MAO inhibitors.     

Interaction of psychotropic drugs with monoamine oxidase in rat brain

Literature observations indicate that some psychotropic drugs may have inhibitory activity towards monoamine oxidase (MAO). This study was undertaken to assess the potency, isozyme selectivity and mechanism of inhibition of representative first- and second-generation antidepressant drugs towards rat brain MAO-A and MAO-B. Five tricyclic antidepressants (imipramine, trimipramine, clomipramine, amitriptyline and doxepine) and three selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (fluoxetine, fluvoxamine and citalopram) were examined. They showed inhibitory activity towards MAO-A and MAO-B, with clear selectivity for MAO-B (Ki in the micromolar range). Their mechanism of inhibition was competitive towards MAO-B and of a mixed competitive type towards MAO-A. The results suggest that some of the drugs examined might also contribute an MAO inhibitory effect in chronically treated patients.     

Stereoselectivity and isoenzyme selectivity of monoamine oxidase inhibitors. Enantiomers of amphetamine, N-methylamphetamine and deprenyl

The enantiomers of amphetamine, N-methylamphetamine and deprenyl were studied, using a solubilised rat liver mitochondrial monoamine oxidase (MAO) preparation, as competitive inhibitors of MAO-A and MAO-B (5-hydroxytryptamine and beta-phenylethylamine as substrate respectively). Only in the case of deprenyl enantiomers inhibiting MAO-B was a preference shown towards the [R]-configuration enantiomer justifying the use of [R]-(-)-deprenyl (as compared to the racemate) for the specific inhibition of MAO-B. Recalculation of the observed Ki values in terms of the base form of the inhibitor indicated that the activity of all enantiomers fell within a narrow, approximately 25-fold range when inhibiting MAO-B. The selectivity of inhibition of MAO-B by [R]-(-)-deprenyl cannot therefore be attributed to any specific structural features of the MAO-B isoenzyme form but rather to a lack of affinity of this enantiomer towards MAO-A.     

In-vivo effects of (E)-2-(3',4'-dimethoxyphenyl)-3-fluoroallylamine (MDL 72145) on amine oxidase activities in the rat. Selective inhibition of semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase in vascular and brown adipose tissues

One hour after MDL 72145 ((E)-2-(3',4'-dimethoxyphenyl)-3-fluoroallylamine) (2.5 mg kg-1) was given by intraperitoneal injection, the semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase (SSAO) activity of rat aorta and brown adipose tissue measured in-vitro was reduced by more than 95% of its control value, whereas the monoamine oxidase (MAO-A) activity remained virtually unaffected. The action of this drug on amine oxidases in the liver at this dose was less selective. The in-vitro effect of MDL 72145 on the soluble enzyme diamine oxidase from rat intestine was 100 fold less potent than that of semicarbazide but about equipotent with semicarbazide on sheep plasma amine oxidase. Overall MDL 72145 was selectively more active against membrane bound SSAO enzymes that deaminate primary monoamines. Although MDL 72145 does inhibit MAO-B activity these results suggest that this compound may be used to study the effect of selective inhibition of SSAO activity on the pharmacological responses of appropriate preparations in-vitro.     

Tyramine infusions and selective monoamine oxidase inhibitor treatment

The relationship between changes in IV tyramine pressor sensitivity accompanying selective monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor treatment and estimates of MAO-A and MAO-B inhibition in vivo were studied. Reductions in platelet MAO activity provided an index of MAO-B inhibition, while changes in plasma 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenethylene glycol (MHPG) were used as an hypothesized reflection of MAO-A inhibition. Chronic treatment with the MAO-A inhibitor clorgyline and the MAO-B inhibitor pargyline showed significant inhibition of the alternate MAO enzyme as well, although this crossover effect was greater for pargyline than clorgyline. The MAO-B inhibitor deprenyl appeared to maintain the greatest degree of MAO inhibition selectivity in vivo. Tyramine pressor sensitivity changes accompanying administration of the MAO inhibitors were highly correlated with decreases in plasma MHPG (r=0.92), supporting our previous data indicating the rank order of clorgyline > pargyline > deprenyl for enhancement of tyramine pressor sensitivity and, thus, suggesting that tyramin potentiation is primarily a function of MAO-A rather than MAO-B inhibition. Changes in plasma MHPG are suggested to provide a potentially useful clinical index of in vivo MAO-A inhibition.Presently with the Biological Psychiatry Branch, NIMH     

Amine oxidase activities in rat breast cancer induced experimentally with 7,12-dimethylbenz(alpha)anthracene

The activities and distribution of monoamine oxidase (MAO) and semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase (SSAO) in solid breast tumour induced in the rat by treatment with 7,12-dimethylbenz(alpha)anthracene (DMBA) were studied. The mammary tumours were classified according to anatomopathological criteria into: the benign fibroadenoma (FAD) and the malignant adenocarcinoma (ADC) and infiltrant adenocarcinoma (I-ADC). The proportions of total MAO (15%) and SSAO activities (85%) did not change with malignancy. However, an increasing degree of malignancy was associated with an increase in MAO-A activity and a decrease in MAO-B and SSAO activities. Kinetic constants were calculated for SSAO and for each MAO form separately, using specific substrates. The Km values did not change significantly with the degree of malignancy, but Vmax values for MAO-A increased whereas Vmax for SSAO and MAO-B diminished with malignancy. The dependence of SSAO activity on protein concentration indicated the presence of endogenous reversible inhibitory material in extracts from the more malign tumours. This inhibitor was associated with the microsomal fraction and was not removed by dialysis. It was also present in detergent-solubilized extracts, suggesting that the phenomenon might be due to an association of the enzyme itself producing an inactive species.     

Synthesis and monoamine oxidase inhibitory activity of new pyridazine-, pyrimidine- and 1,2,4-triazine-containing tricyclic derivatives

A number of condensed azines, mostly belonging to the families of indeno-fused pyridazines (1), pyrimidines (2, 3), and 1,2,4-triazines (4, 5), were synthesized and evaluated in vitro as monoamine oxidase (MAO) A and B inhibitors. Most of them showed higher inhibition potency toward MAO-B, the most effective one being 3-(3-nitrophenyl)-9H-indeno[1,2-e] [1,2,4]triazin-9-one (4c), which displayed an IC50 value of 80 nM and proved to be 10-fold more potent than its [2,1-e] fusion isomer 5. Replacing the 3-phenyl group of the known indeno[1,2-c]pyridazin-5-one MAO-B inhibitors with a flexible phenoxymethyl group enhanced the inhibitory potency. The inhibition data highlighted the importance of the aza-heterocyclic scaffold in affecting the MAO isoform selectivity. The 3-phenyl derivatives with type 1, 4, and 5 scaffolds were inhibitors of MAO-B with little or no MAO-A effect, whereas 2- or 3-phenyl derivatives of type 2 and 3 pyrimidine-containing fusion isomers inhibited both isoenzymes with a structure-dependent preference toward MAO-A.     

Structural insights into monoamine oxidase inhibitory potency and selectivity of 7-substituted coumarins from ligand- and target-based approaches

A new series of 3-, 4-, 7-polysubstituted coumarins have been designed and evaluated for their monoamine oxidase A and monoamine oxidase B (MAO-A and MAO-B) inhibitory potency. Substituents at position 7 consisted of a bridge of different physicochemical nature linking a phenyl ring to the coumarin scaffold. Structure-affinity and structure-selectivity relationships, derived through CoMFA-GOLPE and docking studies, revealed the key physicochemical interactions responsible for the observed MAO-B and MAO-A inhibitory potency and suggested the main structural determinants for high selectivity toward one of the two enzymatic isoforms. The predictive power of our models was proved with the design of a new inhibitor demonstrating an outstanding MAO-B affinity (pIC50 = 8.29) and the highest MAO-B selectivity (DeltapIC50 = 3.39) within the entire series of ligands examined herein.     

Inhibition by Zn(2+) of A-form monoamine oxidase in monkey brain mitochondria

The effects of ZnSO(4) on mitochondrial monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity in monkey brain were compared with those in rat and rabbit, in vitro. After preincubation at 25 degrees C for 20 min with 1 microM ZnSO(4), MAO-A activity in monkey brain was about 50% using serotonin (5-HT) as a substrate, and the inhibition was proportional to the concentration of ZnSO(4). However, ZnSO(4) had no effect on MAO-B activity in monkey brain using beta-phenylethylamine (beta-PEA) as a substrate. The inhibition by ZnSO(4) of MAO-A activity was competitive and reversible. CdSO(4) also inhibits MAO-A, but not MAO-B in monkey brain mitochondria. ZnSO(4) did not inhibit either MAO-A or MAO-B activity in rat and rabbit brain mitochondria. These results indicate that the inhibiting action of Zn(2+) differs depending on animal species. In monkey brain mitochondria, MAO-A was highly sensitive to Zn(2+) and MAO-B was less sensitive. These results also suggest that Zn(2+) may regulate the level of catecholamine content in monkey brain.     

Enzymic and molecular characteristics of a new form of monoamine oxidase, distinct from form-A and form-B

The present study was undertaken to clarify the enzymic and molecular properties of monoamine oxidase (MAO) in carp brain. In particular, its sensitivities to selective MAO inhibitors, kinetic properties and molecular weight were compared with those of the enzyme in carp liver. The selective and potent MAO-A and MAO-B inhibitors FLA 788(+), FLA 336(+), MD 780236 and benzylcyanide caused dose-dependent inhibitions of MAO activity in both carp brain and liver; the inhibition curves were all single-sigmoidal, and the degrees of inhibition of the activities towards 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT, selective MAO-A substrate), tyramine (substrate for both forms of MAO) and beta-phenylethylamine (PEA, selective MAO-B substrate) were similar. This was also the case for inhibition of activity in carp brain by the irreversible and selective MAO-A and MAO-B inhibitors clorgyline and I-deprenyl, indicating the presence in both preparations of a single MAO which differs from either form of MAO. Studies on the substrate specificities and Km values for these three substrates and the inhibitory effects of some compounds suggested that the enzymic characters of MAO in carp preparations were similar and that these enzymes might be FAD-containing enzymes, like MAO in various mammals. By labelling the preparations with radioactive pargyline and then subjecting them to sodium dodecyl sulfate electrophoresis, the apparent molecular weights of carp brain and liver MAO were estimated as 60,000 daltons. The same value was also obtained for rat brain and liver mitochondrial MAO-B. These results indicate that by the present definitions of MAO-A and MAO-B, MAO in carp brain and liver is similar to, but distinct from, both these forms of MAO.     

Novel monoamine oxidase inhibitors, 3-(2-aminoethoxy)-1,2-benzisoxazole derivatives, and their differential reversibility

Although possible usefulness of non-selective monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors for Parkinson's disease therapy has been suggested in the literature, MAO inhibitors whose inhibition is reversible and have dual action to both MAO-A and -B subtypes is not available yet. Subtype selectivity and reversibility of a series of novel MAO inhibitors, 3-(2-aminoethoxy)-1,2-benzisoxazole derivatives, were studied. Several dual MAO inhibitors, which inhibit both MAO-A and -B, were obtained. When administered to mice, their effects were generally reversible. Among the derivatives, RS-1636 and RS-1653 had much longer duration of brain MAO-B inhibition than that of MAO-A. In vitro, the inhibited MAO-A activity by these compounds was partially recovered by buffer change at 4 degrees C, while little MAO-B activity was recovered. Although it is not fully elucidated yet, the reversibility of these inhibitors is probably determined primarily by this dissociation profile. This unique differential reversibility indicates that optimization of the balance of actions can be achieved by differentiating reversibility to each target molecule.     

Limitation of adipose tissue enlargement in rats chronically treated with semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase and monoamine oxidase inhibitors

Inhibition of semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidases (SSAO) and monoamine oxidases (MAO) reduces fat deposition in obese rodents: chronic administration of the SSAO-inhibitor semicarbazide (S) in combination with pargyline (MAO-inhibitor) has been shown to reduce body weight gain in obese Zucker rats, while (E)-2-(4-fluorophenethyl)-3-fluoroallylamine, an SSAO- and MAO-B inhibitor, has been reported to limit weight gain in obese and diabetic mice. Our aim was to state whether such weight gain limitation could occur in non-obese, non-diabetic rats and to extend these observations to other amine oxidase inhibitors. Prolonged treatment of non-obese rats with a high dose of S (900 micromol kg(-1) day(-1)) reduced body weight gain and limited white adipose tissue enlargement. When chronically administered at a threefold lower dose, S also inhibited SSAO activity but not fat depot enlargement, suggesting that effects other than SSAO inhibition were involved in adipose tissue growth retardation. However, combined treatment of this lower dose of S with pargyline inhibited SSAO, MAO, energy intake, weight gain and fat deposition. Adipocytes from treated rats exhibited unchanged insulin responsiveness but impaired antilipolytic responses to amine oxidase substrates. Phenelzine clearly inhibited both MAO and SSAO when tested on adipocytes. Obese rats receiving phenelzine i.p. at 17 micromol kg(-1) day(-1) for 3 weeks, exhibited blunted MAO and SSAO activities in any tested tissue, diminished body weight gain and reduced intra-abdominal adipose tissue. Their adipocytes were less responsive to lipogenesis activation by tyramine or benzylamine. These observations suggest that SSAO inhibition is not sufficient to impair fat deposition. However, combined MAO and SSAO inhibition limits adiposity in non-obese as well as in obese rats.     

Does the B form selective monoamine oxidase inhibitor lose selectivity by long term treatment?

Rats were treated subcutaneously with different doses of the “B form” selective monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors deprenyl (phenylisopropylmethylpropargylamine), U-1424 (N-methyl-N-propargyl-[2-furyl-1-methyl]-ethylammonium) and J-508 (N-methyl-N-propargyl-[1-indenyl]-ammonium. HCl) in order to study the changes of their selectivity during 21 days of treatment. When the daily dose of (?) deprenyl and U-1424 was 0.05 or 0.25 mg/kg body wt (similar to the human dosage of deprenyl in clinical trials), in spite of their repeated administration, a fairly selective inhibition pattern was maintained. In this case at a low rate of oxidation of beta-phenylethylamine (MAO-B form specific substrate) the conversion of serotonin (MAO-A form specific substrate) was near to the untreated value. When 1.0 mg/kg of these inhibitors were repeatedly administered they also inhibited the A form of MAO.As J-508 is a more potent MAO inhibitor than deprenyl and U-1424. even the lowest dose (0.05 mg/kg) used in this study proved to inhibit MAO-A. All the compounds tested were less effective on liver than on brain MAO; thus their selectivity was more pronounced on liver homogenate.