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Science 13 January 1961:
Vol. 133. no. 3446, pp. 102 - 104
DOI: 10.1126/science.133.3446.102
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Articles

Effect of Deuterium Substitution in Sympathomimetic Amines on Adrenergic Responses

B. Belleau 1, J. Burba 1, M. Pindell 2, and J. Reiffenstein 2

1 Department of Chemistry, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario
2 Research Division, Bristol Laboratories, Syracuse, New York

It was discovered that replacement of the agr-hydrogens of tyramine and tryptamine by deuterium produces a marked intensification of the blood pressure effects and nictitating membrane contraction normally produced by these amines. The results are interpreted on the basis of kinetic isotope effects at the level of monoamine oxidase and clearly establish the importance of this enzyme in the limitation of responses when tyramine and tryptamine are involved. The observed deuterium isotope effects with agr,agr-bisdeuterotyramine (agr,agr-D2-tyramine) have been reproduced with only one of the optical isomers of monodeuterotyramine. This establishes that the enzyme displays a high degree of optical specificity. The use of l-bisdeuteronorepinephrine revealed that norepinephrine cannot be attacked by the enzyme at the effector cell level.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Monoamine Oxidase and Catechol O-Methyl Transferase Inhibitors: Effect of Intradermal Injection on Exogenous and Endogenous Norepinephrine.
G. A. DeOREO and R. B. STOUGHTON (1961)
Arch Dermatol 84, 972-979
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