title: Improved analytical sensitivity reveals the occurrence of gender-related variability in diamine oxidase enzyme activity in healthy individuals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Serum diamine oxidase (DAO; EC 1.4.3.6) activity is often employed as a clinical indicator of the integrity of intestinal mucosa. However, interindividual variation in enzyme activity and reference values for healthy women and men have not been studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  DAO activity was measured by using cadaverine coupled to O-dianisidine oxidation in 50 healthy individuals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean activity was 7.59+/-3.67 U/L for women and 2.38+/-0.71 U/L for men (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gender is a major determinant for DAO activity in healthy subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Extremadura, Avda. de Elvas s/n, 06071-Badajoz, Spain. elenag@unex.es
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: García-Martín
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ayuso
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.forename: José A G
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Agúndez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006631:Amine Oxidase (Copper-Containing) / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D002103:Cadaverine / Q000378:metabolism; D003962:Dianisidine / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D012737:Sex Factors