Circulating Monoamine Oxidase B and Phenolsulfotransferase Activities in Essential Hypertensive Patients

Abstract

Circulating monoamine oxidase (MAO) and phenolsulfotransferase M and P (PST M, PST P) activities were determined in 24 untreated essential hypertensive patients and in 35 age-matched normotehsive healthy controls. These enzymes are involved in the inactivation of monoamines and their metabolites. After lysis of blood, enzymatic activities were determined by radioenzymatic techniques using as substrates [¹⁴C]-beta-phenylethylamine for MAO, 3–methoxy-4–hydroxyphenylglycol for PST M and phenol for PST P. MAO activity measured by this method is fully accounted for by platelet MAO B activity. Women presented higher MAO activity than men. Significantly lower MAO-B activities were

Key Words:

• Monoamine oxidase
• phenolsulfotransferase
• platelets
• essential hypertension