Biomaterial Database

Phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase activity is decreased in Alzheimer's disease brains. 1987

W J Burke, and H D Chung, and B R Nakra, and G T Grossberg, and T H Joh

Department of Neurology, Veterans Administration Medical Center, St Louis, MO 63125.

Phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT) is the rate-limiting enzyme involved in the synthesis of epinephrine and a specific marker for epinephrine neurons. We have previously described the stability of this enzyme in a variety of pre- and postmortem conditions in human brain autopsy specimens and demonstrated its presence in areas of the human brain that are associated with memory and attention. We now report on 5 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) who had a decrease in PNMT activity of 37 to 48% in areas of the brain affected by the disease but not in the cerebellum, an area of the brain unaffected by the disease. The degree of decrease in PNMT activity in the hippocampus correlated significantly with the degree of dementia. We have provided direct immunochemical evidence that the decrease in PNMT activity in AD is due to the loss of this specific enzyme protein.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D010625	Phenylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase	A methyltransferase that catalyzes the reaction of S-adenosyl-L-methionine and phenylethanolamine to yield S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine and N-methylphenylethanolamine. It can act on various phenylethanolamines and converts norepinephrine into epinephrine. (From Enzyme Nomenclature, 1992) EC 2.1.1.28.	Phenethanolamine N-Methyltransferase,Noradrenalin N-Methyltransferase,Noradrenaline N-Methyltransferase,Norepinephrine Methyltransferase,Norepinephrine N-Methyltransferase,Methyltransferase, Norepinephrine,Noradrenalin N Methyltransferase,Noradrenaline N Methyltransferase,Norepinephrine N Methyltransferase,Phenethanolamine N Methyltransferase,Phenylethanolamine N Methyltransferase
D001921	Brain	The part of CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM that is contained within the skull (CRANIUM). Arising from the NEURAL TUBE, the embryonic brain is comprised of three major parts including PROSENCEPHALON (the forebrain); MESENCEPHALON (the midbrain); and RHOMBENCEPHALON (the hindbrain). The developed brain consists of CEREBRUM; CEREBELLUM; and other structures in the BRAIN STEM.	Encephalon
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368	Aged	A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available.	Elderly
D000544	Alzheimer Disease	A degenerative disease of the BRAIN characterized by the insidious onset of DEMENTIA. Impairment of MEMORY, judgment, attention span, and problem solving skills are followed by severe APRAXIAS and a global loss of cognitive abilities. The condition primarily occurs after age 60, and is marked pathologically by severe cortical atrophy and the triad of SENILE PLAQUES; NEUROFIBRILLARY TANGLES; and NEUROPIL THREADS. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, pp1049-57)	Acute Confusional Senile Dementia,Alzheimer's Diseases,Dementia, Alzheimer Type,Dementia, Senile,Presenile Alzheimer Dementia,Senile Dementia, Alzheimer Type,Alzheimer Dementia,Alzheimer Disease, Early Onset,Alzheimer Disease, Late Onset,Alzheimer Sclerosis,Alzheimer Syndrome,Alzheimer Type Senile Dementia,Alzheimer's Disease,Alzheimer's Disease, Focal Onset,Alzheimer-Type Dementia (ATD),Dementia, Presenile,Dementia, Primary Senile Degenerative,Early Onset Alzheimer Disease,Familial Alzheimer Disease (FAD),Focal Onset Alzheimer's Disease,Late Onset Alzheimer Disease,Primary Senile Degenerative Dementia,Senile Dementia, Acute Confusional,Alzheimer Dementias,Alzheimer Disease, Familial (FAD),Alzheimer Diseases,Alzheimer Type Dementia,Alzheimer Type Dementia (ATD),Alzheimers Diseases,Dementia, Alzheimer,Dementia, Alzheimer-Type (ATD),Familial Alzheimer Diseases (FAD),Presenile Dementia,Sclerosis, Alzheimer,Senile Dementia
D014018	Tissue Distribution	Accumulation of a drug or chemical substance in various organs (including those not relevant to its pharmacologic or therapeutic action). This distribution depends on the blood flow or perfusion rate of the organ, the ability of the drug to penetrate organ membranes, tissue specificity, protein binding. The distribution is usually expressed as tissue to plasma ratios.	Distribution, Tissue,Distributions, Tissue,Tissue Distributions