The role of microsomal oxidation in the regulation of monoamine oxidase activity in the brain and liver of rats.

It has been shown in our previous study that monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity in different brain regions are correlated with a microsomal oxidation phenotype. The data obtained in this study, using the microsomal oxidation inhibitor SKF525, and using animals with different duration of hexobarbital sleep, has shown that increased intensity of microsomal oxidation might be associated with increased MAO activity. Since the rats with short hexobarbital sleep time had higher content of hepatic microsomal cytochrome P450 than did rats with long hexobarbital sleep time. In addition, the rats with higher hepatic content of CYP450 had higher activities of MAO-A and MAO-B. Moreover, the microsomal oxidation inhibitor SKF-525 reduced brain and liver activities of MAOA and MAO-B. Consequently, MAO activities in a brain and a liver depend on the microsomal oxidation process.

Predicting anxiety responses to halogenated glucocorticoid drugs using the hexobarbital sleep time test.

Glucocorticoids (GCs) are used to treat numerous diseases, but their use in limited by adverse side effects. One such effect is occasional increased anxiety. Since the intensity of hepatic microsomal oxidation has been shown to alter responses to GC, we examined the possibility that rats with lower rates of hepatic GC metabolism would have increased anxiety. We hypothesized that the resulting, excessive GC would stimulate brain monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A), which would reduce brain serotonin, and thereby increase anxiety. Hepatic microsomal oxidative intensity was evaluated by the hexobarbital sleep time (HST) test. Results showed that rats with lower rates of hepatic GC metabolism had elevated brain MAO-A activity, reduced brain serotonin, and more anxiety than rats with higher rates of hepatic GC metabolism. We suggest that the HST test, as an integrative test of microsomal oxidation status, should be useful for predicting individual sensitivity to GC and to other drugs metabolized by the hepatic microsomal oxidation system.

Duration of hexobarbital-induced sleep and monoamine oxidase activities in rat brain: Focus on the behavioral activity and on the free-radical oxidation.

The present study is focused on the relationship between monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity and hepatic content of cytochrome P450 (CYP), which reflects the status of microsomal oxidation. For vital integrative evaluation of hepatic microsomal oxidation in rats, the hexobarbital sleep test was used, and content of CYP was measured in hepatic microsomes. Rats with short hexobarbital sleep time (SHST) had higher content of microsomal CYP than rats with long hexobarbital sleep time (LHST). Whole brain MAO-A and MAO-B activities, serotonin and carbonylated protein levels were higher in SHST than in LHST rats. MAO-A and MAO-B activities were higher in brain cortex of SHST rats; MAO-A activity was higher only in hypothalamus and medulla of LHST. The same brain regions of LHST rats had higher concentrations of carbonylated proteins and lipid peroxidation products than in SHST rats. MAO activity was correlated with microsomal oxidation phenotype. Rats with higher hepatic content of CYP had higher activities of MAO-A and MAO-B in the brain and higher plasma serotonin levels than rats with lower microsomal oxidation. In conclusion, data obtained in this study showed a correlation between MAO activity and microsomal oxidation phenotype.