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.