Provided herein are compositions and methods to reduce toxicity resulting from pharmaceutical treatment, that can lead to increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease (PD) and/or acceleration of PD-associated deterioration.

Described are nicotine-degrading enzyme variants that exhibit increased nicotine-degrading activity and/or decreased immunogenicity relative to the wild-type NicA2 enzyme, compositions comprising the variants, and methods using them.

Disclosed is a method for diagnosing a mood disorder or susceptibility to a mood disorder, including depressive disorders and bipolar disorder, from a biological sample taken from a subject. The method includes detecting markers of monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A) in the biological sample; determining MAO-A concentration from the markers; and correlating the MAO-A concentration in the biological sample to a control group which does not have a mood disorder in order to diagnose or determine susceptibility to the mood disorder in the subject. Also disclosed is a method of detecting peripheral markers of MAO-A for the diagnosis of a mood disorder or susceptibility to a mood disorder. Also provided are polypeptide markers.

A mechanism of monoamine oxidases (MAOs) driven epithelium-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is disclosed. Also disclosed are methods for treating cancer by inhibiting or suppressing MAOs in cancer cells. Novel MAOs inhibitors, such as small molecules, siRNA, shRNA, antisense oligonucleotides, aptamers, decoys, and pharmaceutical compositions useful for treating cancer by disrupting the workings of MAOs are provided. In particular, a class of conjugates formed by covalently conjugating near infrared dye 783, IR-780, and MHI-148 to a MAO inhibitor, such as clorgyline, with and without encapsulation it in a nanoparticle is provided. Other aspects of the invention include methods for forming the nano-conjugates, method for monitoring treatment progress in a cancer patient by monitoring the changes in MAO activity, methods for screening patients who are at risk of cancer or differentiating different forms of cancer by assaying the level and location of MAO activity.

This application relates to biological pharmacy and biochemical engineering, and more particularly to a method of preparing a (S)-1-benzyl-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydroisoquinoline compound. This method includes: subjecting a 1-benzyl-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydroisoquinoline raceme as a substrate to selective oxidation in the presence of a monoamine oxidase and the non-selective reduction to prepare the (S)-1-benzyl-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydroisoquinoline compound, where the monoamine oxidase has an amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 or an amino acid sequence having an identity of more than 80% with SEQ ID NO: 1. The kinetic resolution is carried out in the presence of the monoamine oxidase as a catalyst and a reductant, and the resulting product has a high chiral purity.

The present invention provides novel biocatalysts and associated methods of use for the oxidative desymmetrization of fused bicyclic proline analogues to produce APIs and intermediates. The novel biocatalysts of the present disclosure are engineered monoamine oxidase enzymes with improved solubility, thermostability, and activity on fused bicyclic proline compounds, as compared to a reference monoamine oxidase. In particular, the engineered monoamine oxidase enzymes of the present disclosure require reduced enzyme loading for the manufacturing of APIs and intermediates, as compared to a reference monoamine oxidase enzyme.

Provided herein are compositions and methods for the production of heterologous proteins in a cell including axonemes. The cells include a nucleic acid encoding a fusion protein expressed in the axoneme. The fusion protein includes an axonemal protein linked to a heterologous protein, and the fusion protein provides axonemal function to the cell.

This application relates to biological pharmacy and biochemical engineering, and more particularly to a method of preparing a (S)-1-benzyl-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydroisoquinoline compound. This method includes: subjecting a 1-benzyl-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydroisoquinoline raceme as a substrate to selective oxidation in the presence of a monoamine oxidase and the non-selective reduction to prepare the (S)-1-benzyl-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydroisoquinoline compound, where the monoamine oxidase has an amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 or an amino acid sequence having an identity of more than 80% with SEQ ID NO: 1. The kinetic resolution is carried out in the presence of the monoamine oxidase as a catalyst and a reductant, and the resulting product has a high chiral purity.

Disclosed is a method for diagnosing a mood disorder or susceptibility to a mood disorder, including depressive disorders and bipolar disorder, from a biological sample taken from a subject. The method includes detecting markers of monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A) in the biological sample; determining MAO-A concentration from the markers; and correlating the MAO-A concentration in the biological sample to a control group which does not have a mood disorder in order to diagnose or determine susceptibility to the mood disorder in the subject. Also disclosed is a method of detecting peripheral markers of MAO-A for the diagnosis of a mood disorder or susceptibility to a mood disorder. Also provided are polypeptide markers.

The present invention is directed to cyclopropylamine derivatives which are LSD1 inhibitors useful in the treatment of diseases such as cancer.