Role of Monoamine Oxidases in Heart Diseases

Abstract

Monoamine oxidases (MAOs) are flavoenzymes that metabolize biogenic amines, dietary amines, and catecholamines in the brain and peripheral tissues. While MAOs are known to contribute to psychiatric and neurodegenerative (Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s) diseases for a long time, recent studies have established their role in heart diseases as these enzymes potently generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cardiomyocytes via oxidative deamination of mainly norepinephrine and serotonin. Indeed, MAOs have emerged as important regulators of mitochondrial/endothelial/cardiac dysfunction, essential hypertension, ventricular hypertrophy, myocardial infarction, cardiomyocyte apoptosis, postischemic cardiac damage, and heart failure. Transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulation of MAOs (via certain transcription factors or microRNAs) may emerge as new therapeutic strategies for treatment of cardiovascular pathological conditions. The next-generation MAO inhibitors (that do not cause irreversible inhibition of MAOs) may also be useful for management of cardiovascular disease states involving dysregulated expression/activity of MAOs.