Molecular Insights Into Human Monoamine Oxidase B Inhibition by the Glitazone Anti-Diabetes Drugs
Binda, C., Aldeco, M., Geldenhuys, W.J., Tortorici, M., Mattevi, A., Edmondson, D.E.(2012) ACS Med Chem Lett 3: 39-42
- PubMed: 22282722 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/ml200196p
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
4A79, 4A7A - PubMed Abstract: 
The widely employed anti-diabetic drug pioglitazone (Actos) is shown to be a specific and reversible inhibitor of human monoamine oxidase B (MAO B). The crystal structure of the enzyme-inhibitor complex shows the R-enantiomer is bound with the thiazolidinedione ring near the flavin. The molecule occupies both substrate and entrance cavities of the active site establishing non-covalent interactions with the surrounding amino acids. These binding properties differentiate pioglitazone from the clinically used MAO inhibitors, which act through covalent inhibition mechanisms and do not exhibit a high degree of MAO A versus B selectivity. Rosiglitazone (Avandia) and troglitazone, other members of the glitazone class, are less selective in that they are weaker inhibitors of both MAO A and MAO B These results suggest that pioglitazone may have utility as a "re-purposed" neuro-protectant drug in retarding the progression of disease in Parkinson's patients. They also provide new insights for the development of reversible isoenzyme-specific MAO inhibitors.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Department of Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy.