Inhibition of aromatic L-aminoacid decarboxylase in clonal pheochromocytoma PC12h cells by N-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion (MPP+).

N-Methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion (MPP+), a reaction product of a neurotoxin, N-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), was found to inhibit aromatic L-aminoacid decarboxylase activity in rat clonal pheochromocytoma PC12h cells. The enzyme activity was enhanced to several folds by addition of a cofactor, pyridoxal phosphate, and MPP+ inhibited the enhancement of the activity by exogenously added pyridoxal phosphate. The inhibition was competitive to pyridoxal phosphate, and the Ki value of MPP+ was 26.7 +/- 0.4 microM, while the Km value of pyridoxal phosphate was 0.645 +/- 0.053 microM. The inhibition was partly irreversible. The enzyme sample was incubated with MPP+ and then dialyzed against phosphate buffer. After dialysis, the inhibited enzyme activity was only partly recovered by addition of pyridoxal phosphate, even though MPP+ was completely removed. Activity of other enzymes, tyrosine hydroxylase and monoamine oxidase could be recovered by dialysis. On the other hand, MPP+ did not affect the binding of the enzyme with the substrate, L-DOPA or 5-hydroxytryptophan.