Identification of A and B forms of monoamine oxidase in the iris-ciliary body, superior cervical ganglion, and pineal gland of albino rabbits.

The properties of monoamine oxidase activity in homogenates of the iris-ciliary body, superior cervical ganglion, and pineal gland of albino rabbits have been studied. Inhibition curves using specific inhibitors support the concept of A and B enzyme forms, with the following ratios of A/B activity: iris-ciliary body, 40/60; superior cervical ganglion, 90/10; pineal gland, 13/87. Experiments on enzymes from animals with superior cervical ganglionectomy indicate that both A and B forms in the iris-ciliary body have a predominantly extraneuronal location. No significant differences in activity were observed between iris-ciliary body preparations from normal and denervated animals with substrates specific for A or B forms, or with substrates deaminated by both A and B forms. With tryptamine as substrate the iris enzyme can be inhibited by a variety of common monoamine oxidase inhibitors. Topical application of the inhibitor pargyline lowers intraocular pressure in the normal rabbit eye but not in the sympathetically denervated eye. This observation and in vitro data suggest that the mechanism of action of pargyline is through the adrenergic system and not dependent upon intrinsic activity.