title: Relationship between platelet monoamine oxidase B activity and alleles at the MAOB locus.
abstract: Genetic variations in monoamine oxidase (MAO)-B activity have been proposed to have a contributory role in several neurologic and psychiatric diseases. Variations in activity could affect rates of degradation of exogenous amines, including toxins, precursors of toxins (like 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine), or false transmitters, and of endogenous amines, such as neurotransmitters. In this study a highly polymorphic (GT)n repeat element was used to mark alleles at the MAOB locus. The MAOB allele status and levels of platelet MAO-B activity were determined for 41 control males. No correlation was noted between specific alleles and levels of MAO-B activity in this sample set. This suggests that the structural gene for MAOB is not usually the primary determinant of activity levels in platelets.
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown 02129.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Girmen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Baenziger
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Hotamisligil
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Konradi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shalish
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: X O
authors.initials: XO
authors.lastname: Breakefield
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D001483:Base Sequence; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000201:enzymology*; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
chemical_list: D008995:Monoamine Oxidase