Catechol-O-methyl transferase

About: Catechol-O-methyl transferase is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 1646 publications have been published within this topic receiving 87360 citations.

Catechol estrogen 4-hydroxyequilenin is a substrate and an inhibitor of catechol-O-methyltransferase

Abstract: Redox and/or electrophilic metabolites formed during estrogen metabolism may play a role in estrogen carcinogenesis. 4-Hydroxyequilenin (4-OHEN) is the major phase I catechol metabolite of the equine estrogens equilenin and equilin, which are components of the most widely prescribed estrogen replacement formulation, Premarin. Previously, we have found that 4-OHEN rapidly autoxidized to an o-quinone in vitro and caused toxic effects such as the inactivation of human detoxification enzymes. 4-OHEN has also been shown to be a substrate for catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) in human breast cancer cells. In the present study, we demonstrated that 4-OHEN was not only a substrate of recombinant human soluble COMT in vitro with a K(m) of 2.4 microM and k(cat) of 6.0 min(-)(1) but it also inhibited its own methylation by COMT at higher concentrations in the presence of the reducing agent dithiothreitol. In addition, 4-OHEN was found to be an irreversible inhibitor of COMT-catalyzed methylation of the endogenous catechol estrogen 4-hydroxyestradiol with a K(i) of 26.0 microM and a k(2) of 1.62 x 10(-)(2) s(-)(1). 4-OHEN in vitro not only caused the formation of intermolecular disulfide bonds as demonstrated by gel electrophoresis, but electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry also showed that 4-OHEN alkylated multiple residues of COMT. Peptide mapping experiments further indicated that Cys33 in recombinant human soluble COMT was the residue most likely modified by 4-OHEN in vitro. These data suggest that inhibition of COMT methylation by 4-OHEN might reduce endogenous catechol estrogen clearance in vivo and further enhance toxicity.

The effect of entacapone on the disposition and hemodynamic effects of intravenous isoproterenol and epinephrine

Abstract: Background Entacapone is a potent, selective catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitor. Entacapone could potentiate the hemodynamic effects of exogenously administered catecholamines, which are substrates of the COMT enzyme. Design and methods Originally, the study was to follow a placebo-controlled, randomized crossover design. Because of two cases of ventricular arrhythmia, a decision was made to terminate the study before its completion. Six subjects went through the isoproterenol and epinephrine infusions while taking placebo and five other subjects while taking entacapone. The actual design was thus one with two parallel groups with random allocation and double-blind drug administration. The subjects were given either a single dose of 400 mg entacapone or placebo 30 minutes before the start of isoproterenol or epinephrine infusions. Four dosages of epinephrine (1.5, 3, 6, or 12 μg/min) and isoproterenol (0.5, 1, 1.5, or 2 μg/min) were infused (5 minutes for each level). Heart rate and blood pressure were measured and ECG was monitored. The concentrations of isoproterenol and epinephrine in plasma were determined by HPLC. Results The maximal increase in heart rate during isoproterenol infusion after entacapone administration (40 ± 11 beats/min, mean ± SD) was statistically greater (p = 0.0496) than after placebo administration (27 ± 7 beats/min). The increase in heart rate during epinephrine infusion was 25 ± 13 beats/min after entacapone administration and 14 ± 9 beats/min after placebo administration (p = 0.127). There were no statistically significant differences between entacapone and placebo in blood pressure or in plasma concentrations of isoproterenol and epinephrine. Conclusion We conclude that entacapone may potentiate the chronotropic and arrhythmogenic effects of exogenously administered isoproterenol and epinephrine. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (1995) 58, 221–227; doi:

Hypnotizability and Catechol-O-Methyltransferase (COMT) polymorphysms in Italians

Abstract: Higher brain dopamine content depending on lower activity of Catechol-O-Methyltransferase (COMT) in subjects with high hypnotisability scores (highs) has been considered responsible for their attentional characteristics. However, the results of the previous genetic studies on association between hypnotisability and the Catechol-O-Methyltransferase (COMT) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs4680 (Val158Met) were inconsistent. Here, we used a selective genotyping approach to re-evaluate the association between hypnotisability and COMT in the context of a two-SNP haplotype analysis, considering not only the Val158Met polymorphism, but also the closely located rs4818 SNP. An Italian sample of 53 highs, 49 low hypnotizable subjects (lows) and 57 controls, were genotyped for a segment of 805 bp of the COMT gene, including Val158Met and the closely located rs4818 SNP. Our selective genotyping approach had 97.1% power to detect the previously reported strongest association at the significance level of 5%. We found no evidence of association at the SNP, haplotype and diplotype levels. Thus, our results challenge the dopamine-based theory of hypnosis and indirectly support recent neuropsychological and neurophysiological findings reporting the lack of any association between hypnotisability and focused attention abilities.