Further studies on the synthesis of A-form monoamine oxidase

The relation between precursors and restoration of A-form MAO activity in rat liver after administration of clorgyline to rats was investigated by measuring the rates of recovery of A-form MAO activity after treatment with the inhibitor. The half-lives of mitochondrial and microsomal A-form MAO were estimated as 3.5 and 2.0 days, respectively. MAO activity and the amount of MAO molecules were completely restored within 14 days. However the values attained did not exceed the control values in a period of 14 days. Clorgyline plus cycloheximide or chloramphenicol did not prevent the recovery of MAO activity in the microsomes, but did not delay the appearance of enzyme activity in the mitochondria. A and B-form-like MAO were also observed in the microsomal and supernatant fractions, with clorgyline as inhibitor. These results suggest that the microsomal enzyme is a precursor of the mitochondrial enzyme, that the levels of A-form and B-form MAO are regulated genetically, and that the two forms of MAO may be synthesized separately.