VAP-1 has been strongly implicated in several pathological processes, including diabetes, inflammation, hypertension, hepatic steatosis and renal diseases, and is an important disease marker and therapeutic target.
No wild-type animals displayed this phenotype.In conclusion, we suggest that this transgenic mouse model may be of great value for increasing the knowledge about to what extent human SSAO contributes to vascular complications in diabetes, and also to which extent inhibition of SSAO can prevent the development of such complications.
Synergistic interaction between semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase and angiotensin-converting enzyme in diabetes: functional analysis by gene ontology.
The increased SSAO activity in diabetes is most likely dependent on post-transcriptional modifications or activation of existing inactive enzyme molecules.
It is possible that the increased SSAO activity in diabetes may be a result of up-regulation due to increase of SSAO substrates, such as methylamine or aminoacetone.