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Monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity and its forms in normal and pathological human thyroid tissues
A M Cabanillas1, A M Masini-Repiso, A H Coleoni
1Cátedra de Quimica Clínica I. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Códoba, Argentina.
Clinical Endocrinology
|June 1, 1989
Summary
Monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity varies in different thyroid conditions. While MAO A constitutes over 90% of activity in normal and diseased thyroid tissues, total MAO levels change significantly in pathologies like carcinomas and Graves
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Endocrinology
- Oncology
Background:
- Monoamine oxidase (MAO) is a key enzyme in neurotransmitter metabolism.
- Thyroid gland pathologies can involve altered enzymatic activities.
- Understanding MAO activity in the thyroid is crucial for metabolic research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity and its isoenzyme proportions in normal and pathological human thyroid tissues.
- To investigate the correlation between MAO activity and specific thyroid diseases.
Main Methods:
- Enzyme activity assays were performed on human thyroid tissue samples.
- Selective MAO A and MAO B inhibitors (clorgyline and deprenyl) were used to determine isoenzyme proportions.
- Statistical analysis compared MAO activity across different thyroid conditions.
Main Results:
- MAO activity was significantly lower in thyroid carcinomas compared to normal thyroid tissue.
- Graves' disease, foetal, and embryonal adenomas showed significantly higher MAO activity than controls.
- MAO A represented over 90% of total MAO activity in all examined thyroid tissues.
- Total MAO activity, but not its isoenzyme distribution, differed across various thyroid pathologies.
Conclusions:
- Thyroid gland pathologies are associated with altered total MAO activity.
- The proportion of MAO A remains consistently high in both normal and pathological thyroid tissues.
- These findings contribute to understanding the biochemical changes in thyroid diseases.