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A novel analytical method was designed and developed that exhibited ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis), fluorescence (FL), and resonance Rayleigh scattering (RRS) signals for straightforward and comprehensive determination of monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) using polyethylenimine-functionalized silver nanoparticles (PEI-Ag NPs). Through a facile one-step experiment, and NaOH assisted, in an aqueous solution of 100 ℃ for 40 min PEI reacted with AgNO 3 to generate PEI-Ag NPs with a yellow color and weak blue fluorescence. Interestingly, phenylacetaldehyde (PAA), a specific product of MAO-B, causes significant enhancement of the three optical signals of UV-Vis, FL, and RRS. A triple-signal readout sensing system was designed and constructed for MAO-B concentration assay. The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.42 (UV-Vis), 3.49 (FL), and 1.97 (RRS) μg/mL. AND logic gate analysis was applied to enhance its accurate identification. Eventually, the feasibility of the method was assessed by measuring MAO-B amount in human serum samples with satisfying recoveries. The method provided a new concept for the clinical detection of MAO-B., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethical approval: This study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Ethics Committee of School of Basic Medicine, Lanzhou University (LZUjcyxy20240330). All participants provided the informed consent before the start of the experiment. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.)

Bacground: Breast phyllodes tumors (BPTs) are difficult to differentiate from other tumor types. In-depth research is needed due to the insufficient description of the amine oxidase protein family, particularly in BPTs., Objective: This study investigated the expression and clinical implications of amine oxidase-related proteins in BPTs., Methods: Tissue microarrays were constructed (n=181), and amine oxidase-related proteins of monoamine oxidase (MAO) A, MAOB, lysyl oxidase (LOX), and primary-amine oxidase 3 (AOC3) were assessed using immunohistochemical staining. Staining patterns of these proteins were compared and analyzed with clinicopathologic parameters., Results: In all, 149, 27, and 5 cases were classified as benign, borderline, and malignant, respectively. A higher grade of BPT was associated with increased MAOB ( P <0.001), LOX ( P =0.035), and AOC3 ( P <0.001) expression. BPT cases with tumor recurrence and distant metastasis had higher proportions of MAOB positivity in stromal components ( P =0.002 and 0.018, respectively). During follow-up, there was a significant association between MAOB positivity in the stromal component and shorter disease-free survival (DFS) ( P =0.001) as well as overall survival ( P =0.003). Moreover, MAOB positivity emerged as an independent factor for shorter DFS (hazard ratio: 4.253, 95% confidence interval: 1.034-17.49, P =0.045)., Conclusions: Higher MAOB, LOX, and AOC3 expression were observed in higher-grade BPTs, and MAOB expression was identified as a significant prognostic factor., (©The Author(s) 2024. Open Access. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons CC-BY International License.)

This paper describes pharmacokinetic analyses of the monoamine-oxidase-B (MAO-B) radiotracer [ 18 F]( S )-(2-methylpyrid-5-yl)-6-[(3-fluoro-2-hydroxy)propoxy]quinoline ([ 18 F]SMBT-1) for positron emission tomography (PET) brain imaging. Brain MAO-B expression is widespread, predominantly within astrocytes. Reactive astrogliosis in response to neurodegenerative disease pathology is associated with MAO-B overexpression. Fourteen elderly subjects (8 control, 5 mild cognitive impairment, 1 Alzheimer's disease) with amyloid ([ 11 C]PiB) and tau ([ 18 F]flortaucipir) imaging assessments underwent dynamic [ 18 F]SMBT-1 PET imaging with arterial input function determination. [ 18 F]SMBT-1 showed high brain uptake and a retention pattern consistent with the known MAO-B distribution. A two-tissue compartment (2TC) model where the K 1 /k 2 ratio was fixed to a whole brain value best described [ 18 F]SMBT-1 kinetics. The 2TC total volume of distribution (V T ) was well identified and highly correlated (r 2 ∼0.8) with post-mortem MAO-B indices. Cerebellar grey matter (CGM) showed the lowest mean V T of any region and is considered the optimal pseudo-reference region. Simplified analysis methods including reference tissue models, non-compartmental models, and standard uptake value ratios (SUVR) agreed with 2TC outcomes (r 2  > 0.9) but with varying bias. We found the CGM-normalized 70-90 min SUVR to be highly correlated (r 2  = 0.93) with the 2TC distribution volume ratio (DVR) with acceptable bias (∼10%), representing a practical alternative for [ 18 F]SMBT-1 analyses., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: The prognosis of advanced gastric cancer (AGC) is relatively poor, and long-term survival depends on timely intervention. Currently, predicting survival rates remains a hot topic. The application of radiomics and immunohistochemistry-related techniques in cancer research is increasingly widespread. However, their integration for predicting long-term survival in AGC patients has not been fully explored., Methods: We Collected 150 patients diagnosed with AGC at the Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University who underwent radical surgery between 2015 and 2019. Following strict inclusion and exclusion criteria, 90 patients were included in the analysis. We Collected postoperative pathological specimens from enrolled patients, analyzed the expression levels of MAOA using immunohistochemical techniques, and quantified these levels as the MAOAHScore. Obtained plain abdominal CT images from patients, delineated the region of interest at the L3 vertebral body level, and extracted radiomics features. Lasso Cox regression was used to select significant features to establish a radionics risk score, convert it into a categorical variable named risk, and use Cox regression to identify independent predictive factors for constructing a clinical prediction model. ROC, DCA, and calibration curves validated the model's performance., Results: The enrolled patients had an average age of 65.71 years, including 70 males and 20 females. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that risk (P = 0.001, HR = 3.303), MAOAHScore (P = 0.043, HR = 2.055), and TNM stage (P = 0.047, HR = 2.273) emerged as independent prognostic risk factors for 3-year overall survival (OS) and The Similar results were found in the analysis of 3-year disease-specific survival (DSS). The nomogram developed could predict 3-year OS and DSS rates, with areas under the ROC curve (AUCs) of 0.81 and 0.797, respectively. Joint calibration and decision curve analyses (DCA) confirmed the nomogram's good predictive performance and clinical utility., Conclusion: Integrating immunohistochemistry and muscle fat features provides a more accurate prediction of long-term survival in gastric cancer patients. This study offers new perspectives and methods for a deeper understanding of survival prediction in AGC., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Piperine (PIP) is a powerful anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory alkaloid which has been widely used in the treatment of various pathological conditions. However, few studies have clearly discussed the protective effects and potential mechanism of PIP in different neurological diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the neuroprotective effect of PIP against 3-nitropropioninc acid (3-NP) induced neurobehavioral, biochemical and histopathological alterations in animals. Methods: Adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups. Group 1, the vehicle administered control group, received normal saline (p.o.). Group 2 received 3-NP (20 mg/kg.b.wt., i.p.) for 4 consecutive days. Group 3 received PIP (10 mg/kg.b.wt., p.o.) twice daily for a period of 4 days, 30 min before and 6 h after the 3-NP injection. Upon termination of treatment schedule, behavioral experiments were performed to access the behavioral outcomes. The brain striatal tissue was used for the estimation of monoamine oxidase activity and serotonin level. In addition, astrocytes activation was observed by GFAP immunostaining. Results: Our results showed that 3-NP induced behavioral impairments are attenuated by PIP co-treatment. Next, the extent of neuronal loss and astrocytes activation was reduced in the striatal brain region in PIP treated rats. Finally, it was observed that PIP alleviated the behavioral, biochemical, immunohistochemical and histological alterations. Conclusion: The results of the current study reveal the neuroprotective competency of PIP against Huntington disease like symptoms in rats.

Monoamine oxidases (MAOs) play a key role in the metabolism of major monoamine neurotransmitters. In particular, the upregulation of MAO-B in Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and cancer augmented the development of selective MAO-B inhibitors for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, such as the anti-parkinsonian MAO-B irreversible binder l-deprenyl (Selegiline®). Herein we report on the synthesis of novel fluorinated indanone derivatives for PET imaging of MAO-B in the brain. Out of our series, the derivatives 6, 8, 9 and 13 are amongst the most affine and selective ligands for MAO-B reported so far. For the derivative 6-((3-fluorobenzyl)oxy)-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-1-one (6) exhibiting an outstanding affinity (K i MAO-B  = 6 nM), an automated copper-mediated radiofluorination starting from the pinacol boronic ester 17 is described. An in vitro screening in different species revealed a MAO-B region-specific accumulation of [ 18 F]6 in rats and piglets in comparison to L-[ 3 H]deprenyl. The pre-clinical in vivo assessment of [ 18 F]6 in mice demonstrated the potential of indanones to readily cross the blood-brain barrier. Nonetheless, parallel in vivo metabolism studies indicated the presence of blood-brain barrier metabolites, thus arguing for further structural modifications. With the matching analytical profiles of the radiometabolite analysis from the in vitro liver microsome studies and the in vivo evaluation, the structure's elucidation of the blood-brain barrier penetrant radiometabolites is possible and will serve as basis for the development of new indanone derivatives suitable for the PET imaging of MAO-B., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Monoamine oxidase (MAO) is believed to mediate the degradation of monoamine neurotransmitters, including dopamine, in the brain. Between the two types of MAO, MAO-B has been believed to be involved in dopamine degradation, which supports the idea that the therapeutic efficacy of MAO-B inhibitors in Parkinson's disease can be attributed to an increase in extracellular dopamine concentration. However, this belief has been controversial. Here, by utilizing in vivo phasic and basal electrochemical monitoring of extracellular dopamine with fast-scan cyclic voltammetry and multiple-cyclic square wave voltammetry and ex vivo fluorescence imaging of dopamine with GRAB DA2m , we demonstrate that MAO-A, but not MAO-B, mainly contributes to striatal dopamine degradation. In contrast, our whole-cell patch-clamp results demonstrated that MAO-B, but not MAO-A, was responsible for astrocytic GABA-mediated tonic inhibitory currents in the rat striatum. We conclude that, in contrast to the traditional belief, MAO-A and MAO-B have profoundly different roles: MAO-A regulates dopamine levels, whereas MAO-B controls tonic GABA levels., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Methods: Monoamine neurotransmitters were detected in gastric cancer tissue and paired normal tissue, and The Cancer Genome Atlas was used to identify differentially expressed norepinephrine-degrading and synthetic enzymes. Quantitative real-time PCR and the Seahorse assay were used to determine the effect of norepinephrine on gastric cancer cell glycolysis. MAOA expression in cancer tissues was analyzed by immunohistochemistry and was compared with the patient SUVmax value of PET-CT and other clinicopathological characteristics., Results: The norepinephrine levels were markedly high in gastric cancer tissue, while the norepinephrine-degrading enzymes MAOA and MAOB showed low expression. High norepinephrine levels were associated with activated glycolysis. The MAOA or MAOB expression levels in tumor tissue were closely correlated with the patient SUV max values of PET-CT and immunotherapy evaluation indices, such as PD-L1 and the microsatellite status., Conclusions: Norepinephrine shows relatively higher expression in gastric cancer tissue than in normal tissue, and its expression level is associated with the glycolysis levels in patients. The norepinephrine-degrading enzymes MAOA and MAOB have significant expression differences in cancer and normal tissue, and their missing or low expression may predict immune therapy outcomes for gastric cancer patients. High norepinephrine levels with metabolic abnormalities may be more suitable for metabolic targeted therapy or immunotherapy., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this paper., (Copyright © 2021 Yangyang Wang et al.)

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains one of the most common cancers worldwide and tends to be detected at an advanced stage. More effective biomarkers for HCC screening and prognosis assessment are needed and the mechanisms of HCC require further exploration. The role of MAOA in HCC has not been intensively investigated., Methods: In-house tissue microarrays, genechips, and RNAsequencing datasets were integrated to explore the expression status and the clinical value of MAOA in HCC. Immunohistochemical staining was utilized to determine MAOA protein expression. Intersection genes of MAOA related co-expressed genes and differentially expressed genes were obtained to perform functional enrichment analyses. In vivo experiment was conducted to study the impact of traditional Chinese medicine nitidine chloride (NC) on MAOA in HCC., Results: MAOA was downregulated and possessed an excellent discriminatory capability in HCC patients. Decreased MAOA correlated with poor prognosis in HCC patients. Downregulated MAOA protein was relevant to an advanced TNM stage in HCC patients. Co-expressed genes that positively related to MAOA were clustered in chemical carcinogenesis, where CYP2E1 was identified as the hub gene. In vivo experiment showed that nitidine chloride significantly upregulated MAOA in a nude mouse HCC model., Conclusions: A decreased MAOA level is not only correlated with aggressive behaviors in males but also serves as a promising biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of HCC patients. Moreover, MAOA may play a role in AFB1 toxic transformation through its synergistic action with co-expressed genes, especially CYP3A4. MAOA also serves as a potential therapy target of NC in HCC patients., (© 2020 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Purpose: [6]-gingerol is a bioactive compound extracted from ginger, a traditional anti-emetic herb in Chinese medicine. Previous studies have demonstrated that [6]-gingerol can ameliorate chemotherapy-induced pica in rats, although the underlying mechanism has not been elucidated. This study is designed to investigate [6]-gingerol's antiemetic mechanism focusing on the 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin, 5-HT) system by evaluating the synthesis, metabolism and reuptake of 5-HT, as well as the mechanism of 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 receptor (5-HT 3 receptor), in a cisplatin-induced pica model of rats., Methods: Rats were randomly divided into control group (vehicle + saline, Con), [6]-gingerol control group (50 mg/kg [6]-gingerol + saline, G-con), ondansetron control group (2.6 mg/kg ondansetron + saline, O-con), cisplatin model group (vehicle + cisplatin, Model), ondansetron-treated group (2.6 mg/kg ondansetron + cisplatin, O-treated), high dosage of [6]-gingerol-treated group (100 mg/kg [6]-gingerol + cisplatin, GH-treated), and low dosage of [6]-gingerol-treated group (50 mg/kg [6]-gingerol + cisplatin, GL-treated). The rats were administered with [6]-gingerol, ondansetron, and vehicle (3% Tween-80) by gavage twice (7:00 AM and 7:00 PM). One hour after the first treatment (8:00 AM), rats in groups Model, O-treated, GH-treated and GL-treated were injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) with 6 mg/kg cisplatin, and the other groups were injected i.p. with saline of equal volume. The consumption of kaolin of the rats were measured. All the rats were anesthetized by i.p. injection of pentobarbital sodium at 24 h post-cisplatin. After blood samples were taken, medulla oblongata and ileum were removed. The levels of 5-HT and its metabolite 5-HIAA in ileum, medulla oblongata and serum were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC-ECD). The mRNA expression levels of 5-HT 3 receptor, tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH), monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) and serotonin reuptake transporter (SERT) were detected by real-time PCR. The protein expression levels and distribution of 5-HT 3 receptor, TPH and MAO-A in the medulla oblongata and ileum were measured by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry, respectively., Results: [6]-gingerol treatment significantly reduced the kaolin ingestion and the increase in 5-HT concentration in rats induced by cisplatin. TPH, MAO-A, SERT, and 5-HT 3 receptor are important in 5-HT metabolism, and cisplatin-induced alterations in the associated protein/mRNA levels were restored when treated with [6]-gingerol., Conclusion: This suggests that the antiemetic effect of [6]-gingerol against cisplatin-induced emesis may be due to 5-HT attenuation via modulating the TPH/MAO-A/SERT/5-HT/5-HT 3 receptor system., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest for this work., (© 2020 Cheng et al.)

Monoamine oxidase (MAOs) is involved in several psychiatric and neurological disorders. The specific detection of MAOs is of great significance to elucidate their functions in various biological processes. Currently, however, fast detection of MAOs remains a great challenge. It is, therefore, important to develop novel fluorescent probes for the monitoring of intracellular MAO activity. In this study, we synthesized OTPP-3-Piperazine and OTNP-3-Piperazine by functionalizing triarylphosphine with piperazine groups for MAO detection, using the rational design of
molecular structures. OTNP-3-Piperazine demonstrated higher sensitivity to MAOs than OTPP-3-Piperazine because MAOs induced an AIE process via oxidation to produce water-insoluble oxidation products in OTNP-3-Piperazine. Such a recognition mechanism instantly responded to MAOs. OTNP-3-Piperazine was also introduced into different cells to explore its application as a biological probe. These results showed that it differentiated MAO-overexpressing cells from other cells, which demonstrated its promise as a biological fluorescent probe., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Breast tumor growth and recurrence are driven by an infrequent population of breast tumor-initiating cells (BTIC). We and others have reported that the frequency of BTIC is orders of magnitude higher when breast tumor cells are propagated in vitro as clonal spheres, termed tumorspheres, by comparison to adherent cells. We exploited the latter to screen > 35,000 small molecules to identify agents capable of targeting BTIC. We unexpectedly discovered that selective antagonists of serotonin signaling were among the hit compounds. To better understand the relationship between serotonin and BTIC we expanded our analysis to include monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A), an enzyme that metabolizes serotonin., Methods: We used the Nanostring technology and Western blotting to determine whether MAO-A is expressed in human breast tumor cell lines cultured as tumorspheres by comparison to those grown as adherent cells. We then determined whether MAO-A activity is required for tumorsphere formation, a surrogate in vitro assay for BTIC, by assessing whether selective MAO-A inhibitors affect the frequency of tumorsphere-forming cells. To learn whether MAO-A expression in breast tumor cells is associated with other reported properties of BTIC such as anticancer drug resistance or breast tumor recurrence, we performed differential gene expression analyses using publicly available transcriptomic datasets., Results: Tumorspheres derived from human breast tumor cell lines representative of every breast cancer clinical subtype displayed increased expression of MAO-A transcripts and protein by comparison to adherent cells. Surprisingly, inhibition of MAO-A activity with selective inhibitors reduced the frequency of tumorsphere-forming cells. We also found that increased MAO-A expression is a common feature of human breast tumor cell lines that have acquired anticancer drug resistance and is associated with poor recurrence-free survival (RFS) in patients that experienced high-grade, ER-negative (ER - ) breast tumors., Conclusions: Our data suggests that MAO-A activity is required for tumorsphere formation and that its expression in breast tumor cells is associated with BTIC-related properties. The discovery that a selective MAO-A inhibitor targets tumorsphere-forming cells with potencies in the nanomolar range provides the first evidence of this agent's anticancer property. These data warrant further investigation of the link between MAO-A and BTIC., Competing Interests: Competing interestsThe authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© The Author(s) 2019.)

Inhibition of monoamine oxidase (MAO)-A/B can ameliorate depressive- and anxiety-related symptoms via increase of monoamine extracellular levels. However, such inhibition can also instigate hypertensive response following exposure to dietary tyramine (i.e., "the cheese effect"). Novel herbal treatment (NHT) is an herbal formula that has been demonstrated to reduce depressive- and anxiety-like symptoms in pre-clinical studies. The aim of the current study was to examine whether the therapeutic potential of NHT is underlain by inhibition of MAO-A/B and whether NHT poses a risk for tyramine hyper-potentiation. Unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS)-exposed mice and naïve mice were treated for 3 weeks with NHT (30 mg/kg; i.p.), the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) escitalopram (15 mg/kg; i.p.), or saline. Subsequently, MAO-A/B activities in the hypothalamus, striatum, and prefrontal cortex (PFC) were assessed. Exposure to UCMS led to significant increases in both MAO-A and MAO-B activities in the hypothalamus (p < 0.001) and in the PFC (p < 0.01 for MAO-A; p < 0.001 for MAO-B). Neither NHT nor escitalopram had any notable effects. Treatment with NHT was supported as safe in terms of risk for inducing a hypertensive response. The antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like effects of NHT are mediated via pathways other than MAO-A/B inhibition.

Mitochondrial enzyme monoamine oxidase (MAO-A) is known to be overexpressed in prostate cancer (PCa) cells. Herein, we have developed a two-photon probe (PCP-1) for selectively targeting and imaging the MAO-A in PCa. Supported by enzymatic docking and in vitro experiments, PCP-1 showed efficiency to visualize MAO-A overexpressing cells and inhibit their growth and metastasis potential.

The maladaptive form of aggressive behavior confers risk for violence and criminal incidences with profound impact on society. Although considerable research has been devoted to elucidate the etiology of aggression, molecular correlates of sex differences remains largely unexplored. Also, little attention has been given to whether males and females respond differently to similar causal factor of aggression. Here, we show the possible association of brain region specific neural activity (c-Fos expression) and monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) epigenetic state with sexual dimorphism in peripubertal stress (PPS) induced adulthood aggression. While PPS adult males exhibited escalated aggression, females spent maximal time in social exploration. c-Fos expression was brain region and sex specific. In the PPS adult cohort, only males showed elevated c-Fos expression in the prefrontal cortex, indicative of their hyper-responsive behavior. MAOA expression and enzyme activity was reduced in hypothalamus and increased in prefrontal cortex of hyper-aggressive male mice. Investigation into the underlying mechanisms revealed hypomethylation in prefrontal cortex and hypermethylation in hypothalamus of MAOA promoter negatively correlating with the expression pattern. On the other hand, binding of Sirt1 to MAOA promoter was diametrically opposite being increased in prefrontal cortex and reduced in hypothalamus. In females, neither expression nor epigenetic state of MAOA gene was significantly altered between control and PPS adult mice. Our study revealed novel epigenetic correlates of sexual dimorphism in stress induced aggressive psychopathology. However, given the multi-factorial nature with environmental influences, further studies are warranted to uncover the biological hub., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Mental disorders are important diseases with a high prevalence rate in the general population. Common mental disorders are complex diseases with high heritability, and their pathogenesis is the result of interactions between genetic and environmental factors. However, the relationship between mental disorders and genes is complex and difficult to evaluate. Additionally, some mental disorders involve numerous genes, and a single gene can also be associated with different types of mental disorders.This study used text mining (including word frequency analysis, cluster analysis, and association analysis) of the PubMed database to identify genes related to mental disorders.Word frequency analysis revealed 52 high-frequency genes important in studies of mental disorders. Cluster analysis showed that 5-HTT, SLC6A4, and MAOA are common genetic factors in most mental disorders; the intra-group genes in each cluster were highly correlated. Some mental disorders may have common genetic factors; for example, there may be common genetic factors between 'Affective Disorders' and 'Schizophrenia.' Association analysis revealed 35 frequent itemsets and 25 association rules, indicating close associations among genes. The results of association rules showed that CCK, MAOA, and 5-HTT are the most closely related.We used text mining technology to analyze genes related to mental disorders to further summarize and clarify the relationships between mental disorders and genes as well as identify potential relationships, providing a foundation for future experiments. The results of the associative analysis also provide a reference for multi-gene studies of mental disorders.

The promising features of fluorescence spectroscopy have inspired a quest for fluorescent probes for analysis and monitoring of molecular interactions in biochemical, medical, and environmental sciences. To overcome the competitive supramolecular interactions in aqueous media encountered with conventional molecular-recognition-based probes, the use of reaction-based probes that involve making or breaking of covalent bonds has emerged as a complementary sensing strategy to realize higher selectivity and sensitivity with larger spectroscopic changes. In spite of the enormous efforts, the development of reaction-based fluorescent probes meets with certain challenges in terms of their practical applications, demanding "intelligent design" of probes with an appropriate fluorophore attached to an efficient reactive moiety at the right place. This Account summarizes the results of our efforts made in the development and fine-tuning of reaction-based fluorescent probes toward those goals, classified by the type of analyte (anions, metal cations, and biomolecules) with notes on the challenges and achievements. The reaction-based approach was demonstrated to be powerful for the selective sensing of anions (cyanide and (amino)carboxylates) for the first time, and later it was extended to develop two-photon probes for bisulfite and fluoride ions. The reaction-based approach also enabled selective sensing of noble metal ions such as silver, gold, and palladium along with toxic (methyl)mercury species and paramagnetic copper ions. Furthermore, microscopic imaging and monitoring of biologically relevant species with reaction-based two-photon probes were explored for hydrogen sulfide, hypochlorous acid, formaldehyde, monoamine oxidase enzyme, and ATP.

Monoamine oxidase (MAO) is a membrane-bound mitochondrial enzyme that plays an important role by catalyzing oxidative deamination to maintain the homeostasis of neurotransmitters and other biogenic amines in living systems. MAO activity is critical for the brain and central nervous system. Its dysfunction is closely related with many neurological and psychiatric disorders. Fluorescent probes provide a useful approach to accurately detect MAO activity and assist to better elucidate their biological functions. Herein, in this Minireview, we summarize the recent advances in reaction based MAO type fluorescent probes and their imaging applications in living systems.

In this Viewpoint, we highlight the history of positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracer development to quantify changes in monoamine oxidase (MAO)-A and -B enzyme expression or activity. MAO-A and MAO-B are critical for understanding monoaminergic pathways in psychiatric addiction disorders, and more recently in neurodegenerative disorders with MAO-B expression in astrogliosis. Unique radiochemical innovations have been shown for neuroimaging of MAOs including the clinical translation of irreversible propargylamine-based suicide inhibitors, application of deuterium-substitution to slow down metabolism, development of trapped metabolite imaging agents, and unique 11 C-carbonylation chemistry toward novel high-affinity reversibly binding inhibitors.

A series of near-infrared fluorescent probes based on inhibitor (clorgyline) structure-guided design were synthesized for the specific detection of MAO-A in cells and in vivo. Moreover, we have successfully used the high specificity of one of the probes to visualize MAO-A activity in zebrafish and tumor tissue for the first time.

Background: Prenatal stress may increase risk of developing cardiovascular disorders in adulthood. The cardiotoxic effects of catecholamines are mediated via prolonged adrenergic receptor stimulation and increased oxidative stress upon their degradation by monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A)., Objectives: We investigated long-term effects of prenatal stress on β (1, 2, 3) adrenergic receptors and MAO-A gene expression in the hearts of adult rat offspring., Methods: Pregnant rats were exposed to unpredictable mild stress during the third week of gestation. RNA was isolated from left ventricular apex and base of adult offspring. Quantitative PCR was used to measure gene expression in collected ventricular tissue samples. The level of significance was set to p < 0.05., Results: β3 adrenergic receptor mRNA was undetectable in rat left ventricle. β1 adrenergic receptor was the predominantly expressed subtype at the apical and basal left ventricular myocardium in the control females. Male offspring from unstressed mothers displayed higher apical cardiac β1 than β2 adrenergic receptor mRNA levels. However, β1 and β2 adrenergic receptor mRNAs were similarly expressed at the ventricular basal myocardium in males. Unlike males, prenatally stressed females exhibited decreased β1 adrenergic receptor mRNA expression at the apical myocardium. Prenatal stress did not affect cardiac MAO-A gene expression., Conclusions: Collectively, our results show that prenatal stress may have exerted region- and sex-specific β1 and β2 adrenergic receptor expression patterns within the left ventricle.

DJ-1 plays an important role in antioxidant defenses, and a reactive cysteine at position 106 (Cys106) of DJ-1, a critical residue of its biological function, is oxidized under oxidative stress. DJ-1 oxidation has been reported in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), but the relationship between DJ-1 oxidation and PD is still unclear. In the present study using specific antibody for Cys106-oxidized DJ-1 (oxDJ-1), we analyzed oxDJ-1 levels in the brain and peripheral tissues in young and aged mice and in a mouse model of PD induced using 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). OxDJ-1 levels in the brain, heart, and skeletal muscle were high compared with other tissues. In the brain, oxDJ-1 was detected in PD-related brain sites such as the substantia nigra (SN) of the midbrain, olfactory bulb (OB), and striatum. In aged wild-type mice, oxDJ-1 levels in the OB, striatum, and heart tended to decrease, while those in the skeletal muscle increased significantly. Expression of dopamine-metabolizing enzymes significantly increased in the SN and OB of aged DJ-1 -/- mice, accompanied by a complementary increase in glutathione peroxidase 1. MPTP treatment concordantly changed oxDJ-1 levels in PD-related brain sites and heart. These results indicate that the effects of physiological metabolism, aging, and neurotoxin change oxDJ-1 levels in PD-related brain sites, heart, and skeletal muscle where mitochondrial load is high, suggesting a substantial role of DJ-1 in antioxidant defenses and/or dopamine metabolism in these tissues.

As new biomarkers, monoamine oxidases (MAOs) play important roles in maintaining the homeostasis of biogenic amines via catalyzing the oxidation of biogenic amines to corresponding aldehydes with the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). MAOs have two isoforms, MAO-A and MAO-B. MAO-A is considered to be a major factor of neuropsychiatric and depressive disorders. However, MAO-B is thought to be involved in several neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, to explore their distinct roles in different diseases, the selective detection of MAOs is essential. Herein, two new types of near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent probes, MitoCy-NH 2 and MitoHCy-NH 2 , are provided for synergistic imaging of MAO-B and its contribution to oxidative stress in cells and in mice aging models. These probes are composed of three moieties: heptamethine cyanine as fluorophore, propanamide as recognition group, and triphenylphosphonium cation as mitochondrial targeting group. The amine oxidation and β-elimination reaction can lead to obvious fluorescence increase and color changes from green to blue. The probe MitoHCy-NH 2 can be used to synergistically detect MAO-B and its contribution to oxidative stress in the replicative senescence model. And the probe MitoCy-NH 2 can offer ratiometric near-infrared fluorescence for the selective detection of MAO-B in the H 2 O 2 -induced cell aging model and in mice aging models. The results reveal that there are different MAO-B levels in different ages of mice models. MitoCy-NH 2 also can evaluate therapeutic effects of pargyline and selegiline in mice models. The desirable analytical behaviors of our probes make them useful chemical tools for the selective detection of MAO-B and its contribution to oxidative stress in biosystems.

Aims: d-Deprenyl when used as a positron emission tomography tracer visualizes peripheral inflammation. The major aim of the current study was to identify and investigate the properties of the binding target for d-deprenyl in synovial membrane explants from arthritic patients., Main Methods: Thirty patients diagnosed with arthritis or osteoarthritis were enrolled into the study. Homologous and competitive radioligand binding assays utilizing [ 3 H]d-deprenyl were performed to investigate the biochemical characteristics of the binding site and assess differences in the binding profile in synovial membranes exhibiting varying levels of inflammation., Key Findings: The [ 3 H]d-deprenyl binding assay confirmed the existence of a single, saturable population of membrane-bound protein binding sites in synovial membrane homogenates. The macroscopically determined level of inflammation correlated with an increase in [ 3 H]d-deprenyl binding affinity, without significant alterations in binding site density. Selective monoamine oxidase B inhibitor, selegiline competed for the same site as [ 3 H]d-deprenyl, but failed to differentiate the samples with regard to their inflammation grade. A monoamine oxidase A inhibitor, pirlindole mesylate showed only weak displacement of [ 3 H]d-deprenyl binding. No significant alterations in monoamine oxidase B expression was detected, thus it was not confirmed whether it could serve as a marker for ongoing inflammation., Significance: Our study was the first to show the biochemical characteristics of the [ 3 H]d-deprenyl binding site in inflamed human synovium. We confirmed that d-deprenyl could differentiate between patients with varying severity of synovitis in the knee joint by binding to a protein target distinct from monoamine oxidase B., (Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Mutations in parkin gene (Park2) are linked to early-onset autosomal recessive Parkinson's disease (PD) and young-onset sporadic PD. Park2 knockout (PKO) rodents; however, do not display neurodegeneration of the nigrostriatal pathway, suggesting age-dependent compensatory changes. Our goal was to examine dopaminergic (DAergic) system in the striatum of 2 month-old PKO rats in order to characterize compensatory mechanisms that may have occurred within the system. The striata form wild type (WT) and PKO Long Evans male rats were assessed for the levels of DAergic markers, for monoamine oxidase (MAO) A and B activities and levels, and for the levels of their respective preferred substrates, serotonin (5-HT) and ß-phenylethylamine (ß-PEA). The PKO rats displayed lower activities of MAOs and higher levels of ß-PEA in the striatum than their WT counterparts. Decreased levels of ß-PEA receptor, trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR-1), and postsynaptic DA D2 (D2L) receptor accompanied these alterations. Drug-naive PKO rats displayed normal locomotor activity; however, they displayed decreased locomotor response to a low dose of psychostimulant methamphetamine, suggesting altered DAergic neurotransmission in the striatum when challenged with an indirect agonist. Altogether, our findings suggest that 2 month-old PKO male rats have altered DAergic and trace aminergic signaling.

Monoamine oxidase (MAO) enzymes catalyze the oxidative deamination of biogenic amines and neurotransmitters and produce ammonia, aldehydes, and hydrogen peroxide which is involved in oxidative processes. Inhibitors of MAO-A and -B isozymes are useful as antidepressants and neuroprotectants. The assays of MAO usually measure amine oxidation products or hydrogen peroxide by spectrophotometric techniques. Those assays are often compromised by interfering compounds resulting in poor results. This research describes a new method that combines in the same assay the oxidative deamination of kynuramine to 4-hydroxyquinoline analyzed by HPLC-DAD with the oxidation of tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) (or Amplex Rex) by horseradish peroxidase (HRP) in presence of hydrogen peroxide. The new method was applied to study the inhibition of human MAO-A and -B by bioactive compounds including β-carboline alkaloids and flavonoids occurring in foods and plants. As determined by HPLC-DAD, β-carbolines, methylene blue, kaempferol and clorgyline inhibited MAO-A and methylene blue, 5-nitroindazole, norharman and deprenyl inhibited MAO-B, and all of them inhibited the oxidation of TMB in the same extent. The flavonoids catechin and cyanidin were not inhibitors of MAO by HPLC-DAD but highly inhibited the oxidation of TMB (or Amplex Red) by peroxidase whereas quercetin and resveratrol were moderate inhibitors of MAO-A by HPLC-DAD, but inhibited the peroxidase assay in a higher level. For some phenolic compounds, using the peroxidase-coupled assay to measure MAO activity led to mistaken results. The new method permits to discern between true inhibitors of MAO from those that are antioxidants and which interfere with peroxidase assays but do not inhibit MAO. For true inhibitors of MAO, inhibition as determined by HPLC-DAD correlated well with inhibition of the oxidation of TMB and this approach can be used to assess the in vitro antioxidant activity (less hydrogen peroxide production) resulting from MAO inhibition., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Monoamine oxidase (MAO) has two isoforms, MAO-A and MAO-B, which show different functions, and thus selective fluorescence imaging is important for biological studies. Currently, however, specific detection of MAO-A remains a great challenge. Herein, we report a new strategy for specific imaging of MAO-A through the design of fluorogenic probes combining the characteristic structure of an inhibitor of the target enzyme along with propylamine as a recognition moiety. The high specificity of our representative probe is demonstrated by imaging MAO-A in different live cells such as SH-SY5Y (high levels of MAO-A) and HepG2 (high levels of MAO-B), and further validated by western blot analyses. The superior specificity of the probe may enable the accurate detection of MAO-A in complex biosystems. Importantly, the use of the characteristic structure of an inhibitor, as demonstrated in this work, may serve as a general strategy to design specific recognition moieties for fluorogenic probes for enzymes., (© 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Background & Aims: Desmoplasia and poor vascularity cause severe metabolic stress in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDACs). Serotonin (5-HT) is a neuromodulator with neurotransmitter and neuroendocrine functions that contributes to tumorigenesis. We investigated the role of 5-HT signaling in the growth of pancreatic tumors., Methods: We measured the levels of proteins that regulate 5-HT synthesis, packaging, and degradation in pancreata from Kras G12D/+ /Trp53 R172H/+ /Pdx1-Cre (KPC) mice, which develop pancreatic tumors, as well as in PDAC cell lines and a tissue microarray containing 81 human PDAC samples. We also analyzed expression levels of proteins involved in 5-HT synthesis and degradation by immunohistochemical analysis of a tissue microarray containing 311 PDAC specimens, and associated expression levels with patient survival times. 5-HT level in 14 matched PDAC tumor and non-tumor tissues were analyzed by ELISA. PDAC cell lines were incubated with 5-HT and cell survival and apoptosis were measured. We analyzed expression of the 5-HT receptor HTR2B in PDAC cells and effects of receptor agonists and antagonists, as well as HTR2B knockdown with small hairpin RNAs. We determined the effects of 5-HT stimulation on gene expression profiles of BxPC-3 cells. Regulation of glycolysis by 5-HT signaling via HTR2B was assessed by immunofluorescence and immunoprecipitation analyses, as well as by determination of the extracellular acid ratio, glucose consumption, and lactate production. Primary PDACs, with or without exposure to SB204741 (a selective antagonist of HTR2B), were grown as xenograft tumors in mice, and SB204741 was administered to tumor-bearing KPC mice; tumor growth and metabolism were measured by imaging analyses., Results: In immunohistochemical analysis of a tissue microarray of PDAC specimens, increased levels of TPH1 and decreased level of MAOA, which regulate 5-HT synthesis and degradation, correlated with stage and size of PDACs and shorter patient survival time. We found levels of 5-HT to be increased in human PDAC tissues compared with non-tumor pancreatic tissues, and PDAC cell lines compared with non-transformed pancreatic cells. Incubation of PDAC cell lines with 5-HT increased proliferation and prevented apoptosis. Agonists of HTR2B, but not other 5-HT receptors, promoted proliferation and prevented apoptosis of PDAC cells. Knockdown of HTR2B in PDAC cells, or incubation of cells with HTR2B inhibitors, reduced their growth as xenograft tumors in mice. We observed a correlation between 5-HT and glycolytic flux in PDAC cells; levels of metabolic enzymes involved in glycolysis, the phosphate pentose pathway, and hexosamine biosynthesis pathway increased significantly in PDAC cells following 5-HT stimulation. 5-HT stimulation led to formation of the HTR2B-LYN-p85 complex, which increased PI3K-Akt-mTOR signaling and the Warburg effect by increasing protein levels of MYC and HIF1A. Administration of SB204741 to KPC mice slowed growth and metabolism of established pancreatic tumors and prolonged survival of the mice., Conclusions: Human PDACs have increased levels of 5-HT, and PDAC cells increase expression of its receptor, HTR2B. These increases allow for tumor glycolysis under metabolic stress and promote growth of pancreatic tumors and PDAC xenograft tumors in mice., (Copyright © 2017 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Metastasis is a predominant cause of death for prostate cancer (PCa) patients; however, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. We report that monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) is a clinically and functionally important mediator of PCa bone and visceral metastases, activating paracrine Shh signaling in tumor-stromal interactions. MAOA provides tumor cell growth advantages in the bone microenvironment by stimulating interleukin-6 (IL6) release from osteoblasts, and triggers skeletal colonization by activating osteoclastogenesis through osteoblast production of RANKL and IL6. MAOA inhibitor treatment effectively reduces metastasis and prolongs mouse survival by disengaging the Shh-IL6-RANKL signaling network in stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment. These findings provide a rationale for targeting MAOA and its associated molecules to treat PCa metastasis., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Radiofrequency ablation of renal sympathetic nerve (RDN) shows effective BP reduction in hypertensive patients while the specific mechanisms remain unclear., Objective: We hypothesized that abnormal levels of norepinephrine (NE) and changes in NE-related enzymes and angiotensinconverting enzyme 2 (ACE2), angiotensin (Ang)-(1-7) and Mas receptor mediate the anti-hypertensive effects of RDN., Methods: Mean values of systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were assessed at baseline and follow-up. Plasma and renal norepinephrine (NE) concentrations were determined using highperformance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection, and levels of NE-related enzyme and ACE2-Ang(1-7)- Mas were measured using real time PCR, Western blot and immunohistochemistry or Elisa in a hypertensive canine model fed with high-fat diet and treated with RDN. The parameters were also determined in a sham group treated with renal arteriography and a control group fed with normal diet., Results: RDN decreased SBP, DBP, MAP, plasma and renal NE. Compared with the sham group, renal tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expression was lower and renalase expression was higher in the RDN group. Compared with the control group, renal TH and catechol-o-methyl transferase (COMT) were higher and renalase was lower in the sham group. Moreover, renal ACE2, Ang-(1-7) and Mas levels of the RDN group were higher than those of the sham group, which were lower than those of the control group., Conclusion: RDN shows anti-hypertensive effect with reduced NE and activation of ACE2-Ang(1-7)-Mas, indicating that it may contribute to the anti-hypertensive effect of RDN.

A simple, rapid and reliable spectrophotometry was developed to determine monoamine oxidase (MAO). In this study, 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH), a classic derivatizing reagent, was used to detect MAO-dependent aldehyde production; and traditional DNPH spectrophotometry was simplified. Benzylamine and serotonin oxidation were catalyzed by MAO-B and MAO-A, respectively, to aldehydes. These were derivatized with DNPH, and the corresponding quinones were further formed by adding NaOH. These DNPH derivatives with large conjugated structures were directly measured spectrophotometrically at 465 nm and 425 nm, without the need for precipitating, washing and suspending procedures. The addition of NaOH caused a red shift of the maximum absorption wavelength of these derivatives, which reduced the interference of free DNPH. MAO-B protein was as low as 47.5 μg in rat liver with correlation coefficients ranging within 0.995-0.999. This method is 2-3 times more sensitive than direct spectrophotometry. The detection of MAO inhibition through this method showed that IC50 values of rasagiline are 8.00 × 10(-9) M for MAO-B and 2.59 × 10(-7) M for MAO-A. These results are similar to the values obtained by direct spectrophotometry. Our study suggests that DNPH spectrophotometry is suitable to detect MAO activity, and has the potential for MAO inhibitor screening in the treatment of MAO-mediated diseases., (Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Here we report two novel red emission fluorescent probes for the highly sensitive and selective detection of monoamine oxidase (MAO) with large Stokes shift (227 nm). Both of the probes possess solid state fluorescence and can accomplish the identification of MAO on test papers. The probe MAO-Red-1 exhibited a detection limit down to 1.2 μg mL(-1) towards MAO-B. Moreover, the cleavage product was unequivocally conformedby HPLC and LCMS and the result was in accordance with the proposed oxidative deamination mechanism. The excellent photostability of MAO-Red-1 was proved both in vitro and in vivo through fluorescent kinetic experiment and laser exposure experiment of confocal microscopy, respectively. Intracellular experiments also confirmed the low cytotoxity and exceptional cell imaging abilities of MAO-Red-1. It was validated both in HeLa and HepG2 cells that MAO-Red-1 was capable of reporting MAO activity through the variation of fluorescence intensity.

The aim of this paper is to study the morphology and the distribution of the monoamine oxidase enzymatic system in the optic nerve of 4 month-old Wistar (young) and 28 month-old Wistar (old) rats. The optic nerve was harvested from 20 young and old rats. The segment of optic nerve was divided longitudinally into two pieces, each 0.1 mm in length. The first piece was used for transmission electron microscopy. The second piece was stained with histochemical reaction for monoamine oxidase. The agerelated changes in the optic nerve of rats include micro-anatomical details, ultrastructure and monoamine oxidase histochemical staining. A strong decrease of the thin nerve fibers and a swelling of the thick ones can be observed in optic nerve fibers of old rats. Increased monoamine oxidase histochemical staining of the optic nerve of aged rats is well demonstrated. The increase of meningeal shealth and the decrease of thin nerve fibers of the optic nerve in old rats are well documented. Morphological, ultrastructural and histochemical changes observed in optic nerve fibers of the old rats show a close relation with aging.

Renalase is currently the only known amine oxidase in the blood that can metabolize catecholamines and regulate sympathetic activity. High salt intake is associated with high blood pressure (BP), possibly through the modulation of renalase expression and secretion, whereas potassium can reverse the high salt-mediated increase in blood pressure. However, whether potassium could also modulate BP through renalase is unclear. In this study, we aim to investigate how salt intake and potassium supplementation affect the level of renalase in rats. Eighteen salt-sensitive (SS) and 18 SS-13BN rats were divided into six groups, receiving normal salt (0.3% NaCl), high salt (8% NaCl) and high salt/potassium (8% NaCl and 8% KCl) dietary intervention for four weeks. At the end of experiments, blood and kidneys were collected for analysis. mRNA level of renalase was measured by quantitative real-time PCR and protein level was determined by Western blot. We found that mRNA and protein levels of renalase in the kidneys of SS and SS-13BN rats were significantly decreased (P < 0.05) after high salt intervention, whereas dopamine in plasma was increased (P < 0.05) compared with rats received normal salt, suggesting that salt may induce salt-sensitive hypertension through inhibition of renalase expression. We also found increased mRNA level and protein level of renalase, decreased catecholamine levels in plasma, and decreased BP in SS rats treated with high salt/potassium, compared with that of the high salt SS group. Taken together, the salt-induced increase and potassium-induced decrease in BP could be mediated through renalase. More studies are needed to confirm our findings and understand the underlying mechanisms., (© 2016 by the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine.)

Monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) is known to widely exist in most cell lines in the body, and its dysfunction (unusually high or low levels of MAO-A) is thought to be responsible for several psychiatric and neurological disorders. Thus, a sensitive and selective method for evaluating the relative MAO-A levels in different live cells is urgently needed to better understand the function of MAO-A, but to our knowledge such a method is still lacking. Herein, we rationally design two new ratiometric fluorescence probes (1 and 2) that can sensitively and selectively detect MAO-A. The probes are constructed by incorporating a recognition group of propylamine into the fluorescent skeleton of 1,8-naphthalimide, and the detection mechanism is based on amine oxidation and β-elimination to release the fluorophore (4-hydroxy-N-butyl-1,8-naphthalimide), which is verified by HPLC analysis. Reaction of the probes with MAO-A produces a remarkable fluorescence change from blue to green, and the ratio of fluorescence intensity at 550 and 454 nm is directly proportional to the concentration of MAO-A in the ranges of 0.5-1.5 and 0.5-2.5 μg/mL with detection limits of 1.1 and 10 ng/mL (k = 3) for probes 1 and 2, respectively. Surprisingly, these probes show strong fluorescence responses to MAO-A but almost none to MAO-B (one of two isoforms of MAO), indicating superior ability to distinguish MAO-A from MAO-B. The high specificity of the probes for MAO-A over MAO-B is further supported by different inhibitor experiments. Moreover, probe 1 displays higher sensitivity than probe 2 and is thus investigated to image the relative MAO-A levels in different live cells, such as HeLa and NIH-3T3 cells. It is found that the concentration of endogenous MAO-A in HeLa cells is approximately 1.8 times higher than that in NIH-3T3 cells, which is validated by the result from an ELISA kit. Additionally, the proposed probes may find more uses in the specific detection of MAO-A between the two isoforms of MAO, thereby promoting our understanding of the behavior and function of MAO-A in living biosystems.

Background: Survivin and monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) levels are elevated in prostate cancer (PCa) compared to normal prostate glands. However, the relationship between survivin and MAOA in PCa is unclear., Methods: We examined MAOA expression in the prostate lobes of a conditional PTEN-deficient mouse model mirroring human PCa, with or without survivin knockout. We also silenced one gene at a time and examined the expression of the other. We further evaluated the combination of MAOA inhibitors and survivin suppressants on the growth, viability, migration and invasion of PCa cells., Results: Survivin and MAOA levels are both increased in clinical PCa tissues and significantly associated with patients' survival. Survivin depletion delayed MAOA increase during PCa progression, and silencing MAOA decreased survivin expression. The combination of MAOA inhibitors and the survivin suppressants (YM155 and SC144) showed significant synergy on the inhibition of PCa cell growth, migration and invasion with concomitant decrease in survivin and MMP-9 levels., Conclusions: There is a positive feedback loop between survivin and MAOA expression in PCa. Considering that survivin suppressants and MAOA inhibitors are currently available in clinical trials and clinical use, their synergistic effects in PCa support a rapid translation of this combination to clinical practice.

Ferulic acid is a polyphenol that has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. The present study analyzed the antidepressant-like potential of ferulic acid using two well-validated mouse models of despair test, tail suspension and forced swim tests. The results suggested that ferulic acid treatment at doses of 10, 20, 40 and 80 mg/kg (p.o.) significantly reduced the immobility time in both of these two tests. These doses that affected the depressive-like behaviors did now show any effect on locomotion counts. The further neurochemical assays suggested that ferulic acid increased monoamine neurotransmitter levels in the brain regions that are relative to mood disorders: the hippocampus and frontal cortex. The increased tend to serotonin and norepinephrine was also found in the hypothalamus after higher dose of ferulic acid treatment. The subsequent study suggested that monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) activity was inhibited in the frontal cortex and hippocampus when treatment with 40 and 80 mg/kg ferulic acid; while MAO-B activity did not change significantly. The current study provides the first lines of evidence that serotonin and norepinephrine, but not dopamine levels were elevated in mouse hippocampus and frontal cortex after ferulic acid treatment. These changes may be attributable to the inhibition of MAO-A activities in the same brain regions.

[(11)C]befloxatone is a positron emission tomography radioligand to image monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) in the brain, which has been used in preclinical studies and in clinical protocols. However, a recent study found that [(11)C]befloxatone binding potential (k(3)/k(4)) has a poor correlation with MAO-A protein levels measured in the human brain. We here show that this poor correlation only depends on the choice of the parameter when performing kinetic modeling. In particular, the total volume of distribution of [(11)C]befloxatone shows a tight correlation with both protein and mRNA levels of MAO-A in the human brain.

Background: Alcohol dependence (AD) is a multiorgan disease in which excessive oxidative stress and apoptosis are implicated. Monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) is an important enzyme on the outer mitochondrial membrane that participates in the cellular response to oxidative stress and mitochondrial toxicity. It is unknown whether MAO-A levels are abnormal in AD. We hypothesized that MAO-A VT, an index of MAO-A level, is elevated in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) during AD, because markers of greater oxidative stress and apoptosis are reported in the brain in AD and a microarray analysis reported greater MAO-A messenger RNA in the PFC of rodents exposed to alcohol vapor., Methods: Sixteen participants with alcohol dependence and 16 healthy control subjects underwent [(11)C]-harmine positron emission tomography. All were nonsmoking, medication- and drug-free, and had no other past or present psychiatric or medical illnesses., Results: MAO-A VT was significantly greater in the PFC (37%, independent samples t test, t₃₀ = 3.93, p < .001), and all brain regions analyzed (mean 32%, multivariate analysis of variance, F₇,₂₄ = 3.67, p = .008). Greater duration of heavy drinking correlated positively with greater MAO-A VT in the PFC (r = .67, p = .005) and all brain regions analyzed (r = .73 to .57, p = .001-.02)., Conclusions: This finding represents a new pathological marker present in AD that is therapeutically targetable through direct inhibition or by novel treatments toward oxidative/pro-apoptotic processes implicated by MAO-A overexpression., (© 2013 Society of Biological Psychiatry Published by Society of Biological Psychiatry All rights reserved.)

An automated sequential injection (SI) spectrophotometric system has been developed for evaluation of tyramine oxidase (TOD) inhibitory activity. The method is based on the inhibition of TOD that catalyzes the oxidation of tyramine substrate to produce aldehyde and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). The produced H₂O₂ reacts with vanillic acid and 4-aminoantipyrine (4-AA) in the presence of peroxidase (POD) to form a quinoneimine dye, the absorbance of which is measured of absorbance at wavelength of 490 nm. The decrease of the quinoneimine dye is related to an increase of TOD inhibitory activity. Under the optimum conditions: 1.0 mM tyramine, 8 U mL(-1) TOD, 1.0 mM vanillic acid, 1.0 mM 4-AA and delay time of 10 s, some flavonoid compounds were examined for the TOD inhibitory activity expressed as IC₅₀ value. It was found that flavonols (quercetin and myricetin) and flavans (epicatechin gallate (ECG) and epigallocatechin (EGC)) showed higher TOD inhibitory activity than flavones and flavanones. The results of IC₅₀ values obtained from the proposed method and a batch-wise method were not significantly different from each other. Moreover, the SI system enabled automation of the analysis, leading to more convenient, more sensitive and faster analysis than the batch-wise method. A precise timing of the system also improves precision and accuracy of the assay, especially when the measurement of absorbance at non-steady state condition is involved., (Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

This article describes the kinetic modeling of [(11)C]SL25.1188 ([(S)-5-methoxymethyl-3-[6-(4,4,4-trifluorobutoxy)-benzo[d]isoxazol-3-yl]-oxazolidin-2-[(11)C]one]) binding to monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) in the human brain using high-resolution positron emission tomography (PET). Seven healthy subjects underwent two separate 90- minute PET scans after an intravenous injection of [(11)C]SL25.1188. Complementary arterial blood sampling was acquired. Radioactivity was quickly eliminated from plasma with 80% of parent compound remaining at 90 minutes. Metabolites were more polar than the parent compound. Time-activity curves showed high brain uptake, early peak and washout rate consistent with known regional MAO-B concentration. A two-tissue compartment model (2-TCM) provided better fits to the data than a 1-TCM. Measurement of total distribution volume (VT) showed very good identifiability (based on coefficient of variation (COV)) for all regions of interest (ROIs) (COV(VT)<8%), low between-subject variability (∼20%), and quick temporal convergence (within 5% of final value at 45 minutes). Logan graphical method produces very good estimation of VT. Regional VT highly correlated with previous postmortem report of MAO-B level (r(2)= ≥ 0.9). Specific binding would account from 70% to 90% of VT. Hence, VT measurement of [(11)C]SL25.1(1)88 PET is an excellent estimation of MAO-B concentration.

A series of new fluorogenic probes for monoamine oxidases (MAOs) were reported based on an oxidation and β-elimination mechanism. The limits of detection of the probes for MAO-A and -B were determined to be 3.5 and 6.0 μg mL(-1) respectively. These probes displayed strong activity towards MAOs, especially MAO-B. Cellular imaging studies were also successfully conducted with MCF-7 cells.

The unusually high MAO-B activity consistently observed in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients has been proposed as a biomarker; however, this has not been realized due to the lack of probes suitable for MAO-B-specific detection in live cells/tissues. Here we report the first two-photon, small molecule fluorogenic probe (U1) that enables highly sensitive/specific and real-time imaging of endogenous MAO-B activities across biological samples. We also used U1 to confirm the reported inverse relationship between parkin and MAO-B in PD models. With no apparent toxicity, U1 may be used to monitor MAO-B activities in small animals during disease development. In clinical samples, we find elevated MAO-B activities only in B lymphocytes (not in fibroblasts), hinting that MAO-B activity in peripheral blood cells might be an accessible biomarker for rapid detection of PD. Our results provide important starting points for using small molecule imaging techniques to explore MAO-B at the organism level.

Oxazolidinones bearing a seven-membered [1,2,5]triazepane or [1,2,5]oxadiazepane heterocycle substituted with an amide or urea functionality as the C-ring and having a [1,2,3]triazole, a thiocarbamate, an isoxazole-3-ylamino, or a thioacetamide C-5 side chain unit on the A-ring instead of the typical acetamide were synthesized and their in vitro antibacterial activities towards various pathogens were evaluated. Several derivatives exhibited potent in vitro antibacterial activity toward not only Gram-positive, but also Gram-negative and linezolid-resistant pathogens. The in vivo therapeutic effects of amide 11a and ureas 16e, 17a were 2- to 3-fold greater than that of linezolid in a systemic mouse infection model treated by intravenous administration. Furthermore, compounds 11a and 17a showed lower monoamine oxidase (MAO)-inhibitory activity than our previously reported potent oxazolidinone antibacterials 3a and 3b., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Maternal prenatal symptoms of depression and anxiety have been associated with altered neurodevelopmental outcomes in the child. These effects may be mediated in part by altered placental function, with increased fetal 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) exposure being one possible mechanism. The current study aimed to determine whether maternal symptoms of depression or anxiety were associated with decreased placental expression of monoamine oxidase A (MAO A), the enzyme which metabolises 5-HT into 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid. The localisation of MAO A in the placenta was also investigated., Methods: Pregnant women were recruited one day prior to elective caesarean and assessed using psychometric tests for symptoms of depression (Edinburgh Depression Scale) and anxiety (Spielberger State/Trait Index). Villous trophoblast tissue was extracted from each placenta and used for subsequent gene expression analysis (N=62). Localisation was studied using immunohistochemistry, with a specific polyclonal antibody., Results: Increasing symptoms of maternal depression were associated with a reduction in placental MAO A expression (r=-0.339, p=0.007, N=62). There was a trend for a similar correlation with symptoms of maternal trait anxiety, but not with state anxiety. MAO A was localised to the syncytiotrophoblast, the tissue between maternal and fetal blood., Conclusions: These findings support the hypothesis that maternal mood is associated with altered placental function. A reduction in placental MAO A expression is consistent with a subsequent increase in fetal exposure to 5-HT., (© 2013.)

The prevalence of childhood obesity has risen dramatically and coincident with this upsurge is a growth in adverse childhood psychological conditions including impulsivity, depression, anxiety and attention deficit/hyperactive disorder (ADHD). Due to confounds that exist when determining causality of childhood behavioral perturbations, controversy remains as to whether overnutrition and/or childhood obesity is important. Therefore, we examined juvenile mice to determine if biobehaviors were impacted by a short-term feeding (1-3wks) of a high-fat diet (HFD). After 1wk of a HFD feeding, mouse burrowing and spontaneous wheel running were increased while mouse exploration of the open quadrants of a zero maze, perfect alternations in a Y-maze and recognition of a novel object were impaired. Examination of mouse cortex, hippocampus and hypothalamus for dopamine and its metabolites demonstrated increased homovanillic acid (HVA) concentrations in the hippocampus and cortex that were associated with decreased cortical BDNF gene expression. In contrast, pro-inflammatory cytokine gene transcripts and serum IL-1α, IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-6 were unaffected by the short-term HFD feeding. Administration to mice of the psychostimulant methylphenidate prevented HFD-dependent impairment of learning/memory. HFD learning/memory impairment was not inhibited by the anti-depressants desipramine or reboxetine nor was it blocked in IDO or IL-1R1 knockout mice. In sum, a HFD rapidly impacts dopamine metabolism in the brain appearing to trigger anxiety-like behaviors and learning/memory impairments prior to the onset of weight gain and/or pre-diabetes. Thus, overnutrition due to fats may be central to childhood psychological perturbations such as anxiety and ADHD., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of monoamine oxidases (MAO-A: [(11)C]harmine, [(11)C]clorgyline, and [(11)C]befloxatone; MAO-B: [(11)C]deprenyl-D2) has been actively pursued given clinical importance of MAOs in human neuropsychiatric disorders. However, it is unknown how well PET outcome measures for the different radiotracers are quantitatively related to actual MAO protein levels. We measured regional distribution (n=38) and developmental/aging changes (21 hours to 99 years) of both MAOs by quantitative immunoblotting in autopsied normal human brain. MAO-A was more abundant than MAO-B in infants, which was reversed as MAO-B levels increased faster before 1 year and, unlike MAO-A, kept increasing steadily to senescence. In adults, regional protein levels of both MAOs were positively and proportionally correlated with literature postmortem data of MAO activities and binding densities. With the exception of [(11)C]befloxatone (binding potential (BP), r=0.61, P=0.15), correlations between regional PET outcome measures of binding in the literature and MAO protein levels were good (P<0.01) for [(11)C]harmine (distribution volume, r=0.86), [(11)C]clorgyline (λk3, r=0.82), and [(11)C]deprenyl-D2 (λk3 or modified Patlak slope, r=0.78 to 0.87), supporting validity of the latter imaging measures. However, compared with in vitro data, the latter PET measures underestimated regional contrast by ∼2-fold. Further studies are needed to address cause of the in vivo vs. in vitro nonproportionality.

Monoamine oxidases (MAOs) are flavoproteins of the outer mitochondrial membrane that catalyze the oxidative deamination of biogenic and xenobiotic amines. In mammals there are two isoforms (MAO-A and MAO-B) that can be distinguished on the basis of their substrate specificity and their sensitivity towards specific inhibitors. Both isoforms are expressed in most tissues, but their expression in the central nervous system and their ability to metabolize monoaminergic neurotransmitters have focused MAO research on the functionality of the mature brain. MAO activities have been related to neurodegenerative diseases as well as to neurological and psychiatric disorders. More recently evidence has been accumulating indicating that MAO isoforms are expressed not only in adult mammals, but also before birth, and that defective MAO expression induces developmental abnormalities in particular of the brain. This review is aimed at summarizing and critically evaluating the new findings on the developmental functions of MAO isoforms during embryogenesis.

A variety of polyphenol antioxidant compounds derived from natural products have demonstrated neuroprotective activity against neuronal cell death. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of resveratrol (RESV) and bioflavonoids in attenuating hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2))-induced oxidative stress in neuronal cells. H2O2 levels were increased by the addition of L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) to cultured dopaminergic SKNSH cells. H(2)O(2) was monitored by peroxyfluor-1, a selective H(2)O(2) optical probe. To examine the neuroprotective effects of RESV and bioflavonoids against L-DOPA, we cotreated RESV, quercetin, or (-) epigallocatechin gallate with L-DOPA and monitored for H(2)O(2) levels. The combination of RESV and L-DOPA was 50% more effective at reducing H(2)O(2) levels than the combination of quercetin or epigallocatechin gallate with L-DOPA. However, the combination of each antioxidant with L-DOPA was effective at preserving cell viability.

Memory impairment is one of main clinical symptoms of brain senescence. To address the effects of Cordyceps militaris Link extract (CE) on memory impairment, a D-galactose (D-Gal)-induced aging mouse model was employed. Mice injected with D-Gal showed a significant learning and memory impairment that was rescued by CE treatment. The mechanism was further investigated by analyzing the protein level and activity of oxidant and antioxidant molecules, including malondialdehyde (MDA), monoamine oxidase (MAO), total super-oxide dismutase (T-SOD), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), glutathione (GSH), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-px), which played critical roles in the development of brain senescence. The results showed that CE treatment resulted in a significant decrease in the oxidative activity of MAO and the level of MDA, and significantly increased the antioxidant activities of T-SOD and T-AOC in the cerebral cortices. Moreover, the level of GSH and the activity of antioxidant enzymes GSH-px in serum were significantly upregulated after CE treatment. Taken together, our results suggest that Cordyceps militaris extract could ameliorate experimental memory impairment in mice with D-Gal-induced aging through its potent antioxidant activities.