Creative Enzymes devotes the whole specialized research team to providing rapid and excellent services of enzyme activity measurement. Our services are promised with reliable and reproducible results. We have standardized quality control and validated protocols for testing oxidoreductases, such as monoamine oxidase.

Monoamine oxidase is a mitochondrial outer-membrane flavoprotein that catalyzes the oxidative deamination of neurotransmitters and biogenic amines, using oxygen as the electron acceptor. The enzyme works on primary amines, and also on some secondary and tertiary amines to generate aldehydes, ammonia, and hydrogen peroxide. Other names of the enzyme include the followings:

• adrenalin oxidase;
• adrenaline oxidase;
• amine oxidase (ambiguous);
• amine oxidase (flavin-containing);
• amine:oxygen oxidoreductase (deaminating) (flavin-containing);
• epinephrine oxidase;
• MAO;
• MAO A;
• MAO B;
• MAO-A;
• MAO-B;
• monoamine oxidase A;
• monoamine oxidase B;
• monoamine: O₂ oxidoreductase (deaminating);
• polyamine oxidase (ambiguous);
• serotonin deaminase;
• spermidine oxidase (ambiguous);
• spermine oxidase (ambiguous);
• tyraminase;
• tyramine oxidase

In humans, there are two types of MAO, MAO-A and MAO-B, both of great physical and biological significance. They modulate the intracellular levels of arylalkylamines in cells such as dopamine and serotonin. MAO-A is particularly important in the catabolism of monoamines ingested in food, while MAO-B inhibitors are currently used to support the treatment of Parkinson's disease. A further point of interest is that MAO’s are major sources of hydrogen peroxide in the cells, and their role in pathological oxidative stress is under active investigation. MAO-A inhibitors can act as antidepressant and antianxiety agents. However, noticing the clinical therapeutic significance, MAO-B and its inhibitors are under more targeted studies. A property common to all of these inhibitors is that their molecular mechanisms of inhibition feature the formation of a covalent adducts between the flavin cofactor and the inhibitor molecule. Nowadays, it has been approved that some inhibitors could be used as medical treatment for Parkinson's disease, and the promising future of inhibitor drugs can be expected. To support the new drugs development and the inhibition mechanism research, Creative Enzymes provides first-in-class services for both MAO-A and MAO-B activity measurements.

Figure: The crystal structure of human monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) in complex with rosiglitazone.
Reference: Claudia Binda et al. ACS Med Chem Lett. 2012 3(1): 39–42

Creative Enzymes holds the cutting-edge technologies and top-quality services far beyond the typical level of the service industry. Our unparalleled testing quality has already been testified by many customers and helped us win a good reputation. At Creative Enzymes, you are assured to enjoy the best enzyme assay services.