The effects of soman in vitro on catechol-O-methyltransferase and monoamine oxidase activities in rabbit tissues.

Soman (pinacolyl methylphosphonofluoridate) not only increases acetylcholine levels by inhibiting cholinesterases, it also alters the levels of some other neurotransmitters including norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin. Soman also causes an alteration in the activities of the enzymes metabolizing norepinephrine when it is administered to animals. Because these alterations may result from indirect effects on the enzymes, the effects of in vitro application of soman on catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and monoamine oxidase (MAO) activities in rabbit tissues were investigated. Enzyme activities were determined in rabbit lung, liver, cerebellum, cerebrum, brain stem, mesenteric artery, pulmonary artery, renal artery, central ear artery, thoracic aorta, and diaphragm. MAO and COMT activities were not affected by soman in any tissues tested, except the lung and liver, where the activity of COMT was increased (p less than 0.05). Thus, reported effects of soman in vivo on norepinephrine, dopamine, or serotonin concentrations, and MAO and COMT activities do not seem to result from direct effects on the activities of these amine-metabolizing enzymes.