Effect of dexamethasone on monoamine oxidase inhibiton by iproniazid in rat brain

Chronic (6 days) dexamethasone administration caused a slight decrease of rat brain MAO enzyme activity which was reflected by lower levels of 14C-homovanillic acid (HVA) and increased levels of 14C-3-methoxytyramine (3MT) following intracisternal injections of 14C-dopamine (DA). Opposite results with dexamethasone were obtained in iproniazid (MAO-inhibited)-treated rats. In these animals, brain MAO enzyme activity was significantly increased by dexamethasone. This effect increased with the duration of dexamethasone treatment and appeared to be dose dependent. In the brain areas tested (hypothalamus, midbrain, cerebellum, pons and medulla, olfactory, rest of brain) increases of MAO enzyme activity were also indicated by lower levels of 14C-3MT and increased levels of 14C-HVA formed from intracisternally injected radiolabeled DA. Treatment with other glucocorticoids (16alpha-methyldichlorisone, 16beta-methylprednisone and prednisolone) had a similar effect on 14C-DA metabolism. On the other hand, desoxycorticosterone, progestone, estradiol and testosterone, did not exhibit this property. The data indicate that chronic glucocorticoid treatment may have a slight inhibitory effect on brain MAO and also has the ability to partially reverse or antagonize the inhibition of MAO caused by iproniazid.