[Furin as proprotein convertase and its role in normaland pathological biological processes].

Furin belongs to serine intracellular Ca2+-dependent endopeptidases of the subtilisin family, also known as proprotein convertase (PC). Human furin is synthesized as zymogen with a molecular weight of 104 kDà, which is then activated by autocatalytic in two stages. This process can occur when zymogen migrates from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi apparatus, where a large part of furin is accumulated.

Aspects of metabolic changes in first-episode drug-naïve schizophrenic patients.

Unlabelled: Aim The aim of the study was to investigate the state of parameters characterising different sites of metabolism and the degree of endogenous intoxication in first-episode drug-naïve schizophrenic [first episode of schizophrenia (FES)] patients. It is hypothesised that the FES is the initial step in the development of pathologically disturbed biochemical status that is characteristic of chronic schizophrenia.

Methods: Platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO) and serum semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase (SSAO) activities, serum concentrations of middle-mass endotoxic molecules (MMEM) and malondialdehyde and parameters of the serum albumin functional state were measured in 26 FES patients and 15 age-matched healthy controls.

[Physiological significance of amine oxidases and technique for determination of their activity].

The paper describes the physiological effects of various biogenic amines, their occurrence in the body, and degradation. It outlines the present views of diversity of flavin adenine dinucleotide-dependent and semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidases. Methods for preparation of various tissue extracts and spectrophotometric and radiation techniques for determination of the activity of these enzymes, by using various substrates, are described.

[Disturbance of monoaminooxidase activity and indices of endogenous intoxication in patients with the first episode of schizophrenia].

An aim of the paper was to study some biochemical parameters of drug-naïve patients with the first episode of schizophrenia. Activities of platelet monoaminooxidase (MAO) and semicarbazide, a sensitive blood serum aminooxidase (BSA), levels of middle-sized molecules (MSM) and malonic dialdehyde (MDA), parameters of functional state of serum albumin were assessed in 16 patients. Severity of symptoms in patients with the first episode of schizophrenia was assessed as moderate (PANSS scores 73.

[Synthesis of monoamine oxidase in subcellular structures in normal conditions and in alcoholism].

Seasonal variations of recovery of liver monoamine oxidase activity were studied in different subcellular fractions after administration of a large dose of pargyline in vivo. It was shown that the recovery of cytosolic MAO differs greatly from the membrane bound forms in the rate of reconstitution of its activity upon irreversible inhibition in vivo. Alcoholization leads to a decrease of the rate of recovery of only the membrane-bound but not a cytosolic MAO B forms in rat liver.