Translational neuroimaging: positron emission tomography studies of monoamine oxidase.
Positron emission tomography (PET) using radiotracers with high molecular specificity is an important scientific tool in studies of monoamine oxidase (MAO), an important enzyme in the regulation of the neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin as well as the dietary amine, tyramine. MAO occurs in two different subtypes, MAO A and MAO B, which have different substrate and inhibitor specificity and which are different gene products. The highly variable subtype distribution with different species makes human studies of special value. MAO A and B can be imaged in the human brain and certain peripheral organs using PET and carbon-11 (half-life 20.4 minutes) labeled mechanism-based irreversible inhibitors, clorgyline and L -deprenyl, respectively. In this article we introduce MAO and describe the development of these radiotracers and their translation from preclinical studies to the investigation of variables affecting MAO in the human brain and peripheral organs.
Fowler
Joanna S
JS
Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA. fowler@bnl.gov
Logan
Jean
J
Volkow
Nora D
ND
Wang
Gene-Jack
GJ
D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009474:Neurons / Q000201:enzymology*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*
D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase