Copper Amine Oxidases. Structures, Catalytic Mechanisms and Role in Pathophysiology.

Edited by G. Floris, , B. Mondovi. . 2009, pp. 344, £95.00, ISBN: 978-1-4200-7680-6. CRC Press / Taylor & Francis Group, Boca Raton, FL, USA.

Fundamental in controlling the metabolism of biogenic amines, copper amine oxidase proteins (CAOs) play a vital role in the physiology and pathology of mammals, plants, and microorganisms. Research continues to implicate their critical involvement in healthy cells, as well as in clinical manifestations associated with a wide range of diseases, including many previously condisered intractable.

While progress in the field has been steady since the 1980s, the recent introduction of new investigative technology has led to a wealth of new information. Among other findings, CAOs have been linked to tumor cell proliferation and differentiation. They are also now being investigated as a new class of DNA-binding proteins.

Crossing disciplines to provide researchers with the cohesive resource they previously lacked, this volume brings together many of the pioneering resarchers directly responsible for moving the field forward. Exceptionally comprehensive, this important work: Provides a historical context for today's research; Discusses the role of CAOs in normal cell function; Looks at the connnection of CAO activity to various disease states including intestinal, renal, neural, cardio, and tissue-related disease; Describes the structure of the enzymes, and examines the unusual cofactor 6-hydroxydopa quinone derived from a posttranslational modification of a tyrosine residue; Details the differences found in CAOs discovered in bacteria, plants, and mammals; Explores emerging pharmacological applications and the role of CAOs as antioxidant and cardioprotecitve agents.