The amine oxidases of human placenta and pregnancy plasma

1. The purification of monoamine oxidase and diamine oxidase from normal human term placental tissue is described. 2. The properties of these enzymes are reported and compared with the properties of unpurified human pregnancy plasma. 3. This comparison shows that the amine oxidase of pregnancy plasma has properties corresponding to purified placental diamine oxidase, suggesting a placental origin for the plasma enzyme system. 4. Detailed kinetic study of the purified placental diamine oxidase suggests that it has a Ping Pong sequence, a mechanism of action and rate-limiting step similar to the diamine oxidase of pig kidney. 5. It is suggested that the enzyme system is important in protecting the foeto-placental unit from excesses of biogenic amines.

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Kinetics of the diamine oxidase reaction

Biochemical Journal ◽

10.1042/bj1310459 ◽

1973 ◽

Vol 131 (3) ◽

pp. 459-469 ◽

Cited By ~ 47

Author(s):

William G. Bardsley ◽

M. James C. Crabbe ◽

Julian S. Shindler

Keyword(s):

Diamine Oxidase ◽

Experimental Conditions ◽

Ph Values ◽

Rate Limiting Step ◽

Limiting Step ◽

Deuterium Substitution ◽

Effects Of Temperature ◽

Rate Limiting ◽

Kinetics Of ◽

Oxidase Reaction

1. The oxidation of p-dimethylaminomethylbenzylamine was followed spectrophotometrically by measuring the change in E250 caused by the p-dimethylaminomethylbenzaldehyde produced under a wide variety of experimental conditions. 2. The effect of variations in concentrations of both substrates (amine and oxygen) and all products (aminoaldehyde, hydrogen peroxide and ammonia) on this reaction was studied and the results used to develop a formal mechanism. 3. The nature of the rate-limiting step was elucidated by studying the effects of alterations in ionic strength, dielectric constant and deuterium substitution on the velocity of the forward reaction. 4. Thermodynamic activation energy parameters were obtained at several pH values from the effects of temperature on the reaction.

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Developmental changes in the activity of phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferases in rat brain

Biochemical Journal ◽

10.1042/bj2320505 ◽

1985 ◽

Vol 232 (2) ◽

pp. 505-511 ◽

Cited By ~ 41

Author(s):

J K Blusztajn ◽

S H Zeisel ◽

R J Wurtman

Keyword(s):

Rat Brain ◽

Neonatal Period ◽

Enzyme System ◽

Adult Brain ◽

Developmental Changes ◽

Hill Coefficient ◽

Neonatal Brain ◽

Rate Limiting Step ◽

Limiting Step ◽

Rate Limiting

The activity of phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PeMT), an enzymic system that catalyses the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) via sequential methylation of phosphatidylethanolamine (PtdEtn) using S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) as a methyl donor, was examined in brain homogenates from rats of various ages. The data thus obtained were consistent with the existence of two distinct enzyme activities within this enzyme system, i.e. one catalysing the methylation of PtdEtn [to form phosphatidyl-N-monomethylethanolamine (PtdMeEtn)], and the other catalysing the methylations of PtdMeEtn and phosphatidyl-NN-dimethylethanolamine (PtdMe2Etn) (to form PtdMe2Etn and PtdCho, respectively). PeMT (PtdEtn-methylating) activity per g of brain was 4-fold higher in neonatal than in adult brains. The enzyme activity in adult brains exhibited Michaelis-Menten kinetics for AdoMet, and its affinity for AdoMet was high (apparent Km 1.6 microM). In neonatal brain the relationships between AdoMet concentrations and PtdMeEtn formation were more complex: a sigmoidal component (with a Hill coefficient of 2.7), requiring 90 microM-AdoMet for half-saturation predominated over the high-affinity component (similar to that of the adult brain). PeMT (PtdMe2Etn-methylating) activity per g of brain increased 2-fold between the 5th and the 20th postnatal days and remained constant thereafter; it was higher than that of PeMT (PtdEtn-methylating) activity at all ages studied, and its affinity for AdoMet was low (apparent Km 99 microM). No sexual dimorphism in brain PeMT activity was observed at any age. We conclude that PeMT (PtdEtn-methylating) catalyses the rate-limiting step in PtdCho synthesis in rat brain, and that PtdCho formation via this pathway may be greatest during the neonatal period.

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Activation of liver succinate dehydrogenase in rats exposed to hypobaric conditions

Biochemical Journal ◽

10.1042/bj1150077 ◽

1969 ◽

Vol 115 (1) ◽

pp. 77-83 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

H. N. Aithal ◽

T. Ramasarma

Keyword(s):

Succinate Dehydrogenase ◽

Enzyme System ◽

Freezing And Thawing ◽

Isolated Mitochondria ◽

Rate Limiting Step ◽

Limiting Step ◽

Activated State ◽

Sucrose Medium ◽

Rate Limiting ◽

State Of Activity

1. On brief exposure of rats to hypobaric conditions, the activity of hepatic mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase was raised from the basal state to a ‘partially activated state’. This was further raised to ‘fully activated state’ by preincubation of mitochondria with succinate, as was the activity in mitochondria from normal rats. 2. On washing mitochondria with the homogenizing sucrose medium the activity excess obtained on preincubation with succinate was lost in mitochondria from both normal and treated rats. 3. The enzyme in the ‘partially activated state’ from animals exposed to hypobaric conditions was stable to the washing procedure but was labilized and reverted to a low basal state of activity on freezing and thawing of the isolated mitochondria. 4. The results suggest that activation of succinate dehydrogenase under hypobaric conditions represents a conformational change leading to a stable, partially activated, form of the enzyme system: this is the first evidence of physiological modulation of this rate-limiting step in the control of the rate of oxidation of succinate.

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Solid products and rate-limiting step in the thermal half decomposition of natural dolomite in a CO2(g) atmosphere

Thermochimica Acta ◽

10.1016/s0040-6031(02)00603-2 ◽

2003 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

D Beruto

Keyword(s):

Rate Limiting Step ◽

Limiting Step ◽

Rate Limiting

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Ornithine Decarboxylase Activity in Cultured Endothelial Cells Stimulated by Serum, Thrombin and Serotonin

Thrombosis and Haemostasis ◽

10.1055/s-0038-1646709 ◽

1978 ◽

Vol 39 (02) ◽

pp. 496-503 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

P A D’Amore ◽

H B Hechtman ◽

D Shepro

Keyword(s):

Endothelial Cells ◽

Ornithine Decarboxylase ◽

Decarboxylase Activity ◽

Aortic Endothelial Cells ◽

Ornithine Decarboxylase Activity ◽

Rate Limiting Step ◽

Bovine Aortic Endothelial Cells ◽

Limiting Step ◽

Rate Limiting ◽

Serum Serotonin

SummaryOrnithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity, the rate-limiting step in the synthesis of polyamines, can be demonstrated in cultured, bovine, aortic endothelial cells (EC). Serum, serotonin and thrombin produce a rise in ODC activity. The serotonin-induced ODC activity is significantly blocked by imipramine (10-5 M) or Lilly 11 0140 (10-6M). Preincubation of EC with these blockers together almost completely depresses the 5-HT-stimulated ODC activity. These observations suggest a manner by which platelets may maintain EC structural and metabolic soundness.

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