Effect of ovariectomy and estrogen treatment on uterine benzylamine oxidase and monoamine oxidase type A

The activity of monoamine oxidase type A (MAO-A) of rat uteri is known to be modulated by sex steroids but no information is available with regard to benzylamine oxidase (BzAO). Thus, uterine MAO-A and BzAO activities were assayed in ovariectomized (3 weeks) and ovariectomized plus estrogen treated rats (17β-estradiol, 10μg/kg/day, i.p. for three days). Compared with sham operated controls, MAO-A activity (total and specific) was decreased by ovariectomy and restored partially by estrogen treatment. In contrast, BzAO activity was not influenced selectively. Total BzAO activity followed changes in uterine weight such that the specific activity of BzAO, per mg tissue, was not statistically different between the three experimental groups. Although changes in the specific activity of BzAO were found on a protein and DNA basis, these changes reflect primarily alterations in protein and DNA contents and not BzAO activity. Since BzAO appears to be insensitive to direct modulation by sex steroids and may be located predominantly in uterine blood vessels, it is speculated that the enzyme may serve as a marker for hormonal influences on the vascularity and structure of the uterine vascular bed.