Histochemically demonstrable monoamine oxidase activity in the adult human heart in various cardiac diseases

The present work was undertaken in order to study the role of monoamine oxidase (MAO) enzyme in the genesis of altered cardiac noradrenalin level in the human heart in various underlying pathologic conditions. The histochemical localization and the activity of MAO were studied in the right atrial appendage of man in ischemic heart disease, in valvular heart disease without or with congestive myocardial failure, and in hearts with an uncomplicated atrial septal defect. MAO was found to be localized mainly extraneuronally in the muscle cells, a little activity was detected in the connective tissue spaces, and nerves reacting positively were tentatively identified. There were no significant differences in MAO activity measured photometrically between the various heart disease groups. It seems that MAO activity measured photometrically between the various heart disease groups. It seems that MAO enzyme plays only a small or no role in the genesis of the latered noradrenalin level in the human heart observed in ischemic heart disease or congestive cardiac failure.