Zatta_1998_Neurochem.Int_32_273

Monoamine-oxidase catalyses the oxidative deamination of various primary amines such as norepinephrine, serotonin, dopamine and others. Such an enzyme exists under two well known isotypes, A and B. In the brain monoamine-oxidase activity increases with ageing. The present paper reports data regarding the evaluation on the activity of monoamine-oxidase A and B in murine neuroblastoma cells carried out by a radioassay upon acute or chronic treatment of cells by aluminium or tacrine. Our data show that aluminium has a pronounced activatory effect on both enzymatic isoforms either in acute or long-term adaptation treatment. Conversely, tacrine produces an inhibitory effect of both monoamine oxidase isotypes after an acute treatment, while an inhibitory effect on the isoform A and an activation of the isoform B in long-term adaptation was observed. Such effects are discussed in terms of aluminium neurotoxicity and therapeutic implications for tacrine.