skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Determination of catechol-O-methyltransferase activity in brain tissue by high-performance liquid chromatography with on-line radiochemical detection

Journal Article · · Anal. Biochem.; (United States)

A sensitive assay for catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) activity by high-performance liquid chromatography with on-line radiochemical detection was described. The method was based on the measurement of /sup 3/H- labeled 3-O- and 4-O-methylated products of the substrate, 3,4- dihydroxybenzoic acid, using S-adenosyl-L-(methyl-/sup 3/H)methionine as the methyl donor, or the measurement of /sup 14/C-labeled 3-O- and 4-O-methylated products of the substrate, (7-/sup 14/C)dopamine. The reaction products were determined from the incubation mixture after removal of protein by injecting an aliquot into the liquid chromatograph. The detection limit with counting efficiency of 40% was 0.45 pmol /sup 3/H-labeled product, and 0. 04 pmol /sup 14/C-labeled product with 61% counting efficiency. The method is suitable for assaying membrane-bound and soluble COMT activities in the brain tissue and for calculation of meta/para product ratios.

Research Organization:
Orion Pharmaceutical Co. Research Center, Espoo, Finland
OSTI ID:
5554387
Journal Information:
Anal. Biochem.; (United States), Vol. 144:1
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English