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Tripeptidyl-peptidase I in neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses and other lysosomal storage disorders.

The classic late infantile form of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (CLN2, cLINCL) is associated with mutations in the gene encoding tripeptidyl-peptidase I (TPP-I), a lysosomal aminopeptidase that cleaves off tripeptides from the free N-termini of oligopeptides. To date over 30 different mutations and 14 polymorphisms associated with CLN2 disease process have been identified. In the present study, we analysed the molecular basis of 15 different mutations of TPP-I by using immunocytochemistry, immunofluorescence, Western blotting, enzymatic assay and subcellular fractionation. In addition, we studied the expression of TPP-I in other lysosomal storage disorders such as CLN1, CLN3, muccopolysaccharidoses and GM1 and GM2 gangliosidoses. Our study shows that TPP-I is absent or appears in very small amounts not only in cLINCL subjects with mutations producing severely truncated protein, but also in individuals with missense point mutations, which correlates with loss of TPP-I activity. Of interest, small amounts of TPP-I were detected in lysosomal fraction from fibroblasts from cLINCL subject with protracted form. This observation suggests that the presence of small amounts of TPP-I in lysosomes is able to delay significantly CLN2 disease process. We also show that TPP-I immunoreactivity is increased in the brain tissue of CLN1 and CLN3 subjects, stronger in glial cells and macrophages than neurons. Less prominent increase of TPP-I staining was found in muccopolysaccharidoses and GM1 and GM2 gangliosidoses. These data suggest that TPP-I participates in lysosomal turnover of proteins in pathological conditions associated with cell/tissue injury.

Aminopeptidases↗

Pre- and postnatal diagnosis of patients with CLN1 and CLN2 by assay of palmitoyl-protein thioesterase and tripeptidyl-peptidase I activities.

Palmitoyl-protein thioesterase (PPT) and tripeptidyl-peptidase I (TPP-I) activities were measured in leucocytes and fibroblasts. Fourteen patients were confirmed as having late infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis due to a deficiency of TPP-I activity. This included one patient with a milder and more protracted form of the disease. In addition this enzyme deficiency was found in a clinically normal younger sibling of a patient. Of particular importance was the finding of normal TPP-I activity in two patients who had been diagnosed as having classical late infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis. A deficiency of PPT was confirmed retrospectively in stored fibroblasts from two patients who had already died having been diagnosed with infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis. Palmitoyl-protein thioesterase or TPP-I activities were measured in chorionic villi and cultured chorionic villi cells in three pregnancies. The enzyme results were confirmed by mutational analysis if the mutations were known, or, in the case of the pregnancy at risk for infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis by electron microscopy of the chorionic villi. Our results show that assay of PPT and TPP-I is reliable in the diagnosis of patients with mutations in the CLN1 and CLN2 genes. It is imperative to assay these enzymes in all patients to confirm the diagnosis and ensure accurate genetic counselling of other family members. Once an enzyme deficiency has been confirmed reliable prenatal diagnosis is available even if both mutations have not been detected.

Adult↗

[Selective staining of T-lymphoblastic leukemia cells by glycyl-prolyl-4-methoxy-beta-naphthylamiden-peptidase (DAP IV) (author's transl)].

In search for new methods to maintain a selective and specific visualization of blast cells in cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia the glycyl-prolyl-4-methoxy-beta-nephthylamide-peptidase reaction (DAP IV) was performed in cytochemical tests. Blood and marrow slides from 15 cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia of childhood were stained. The results were compared with findings in Pappenheim and acid phosphatase stained slides. In addition slides from concentrated blood lymphocytes of 50 normal subjects served as control. The following results were achieved. 1. In normal blood only about 50% of T-lymphocytes reveal a positive DAP IV reaction. 2. Lymphocytes positive to DAP IV show a typical dot-like paranuclear pattern of activity for acid phosphatase. 3. Only 5 cases out of 15 acid phosphatase positive acute lymphoblastic leukemias presented a positive reaction for the DAP IV. DAP IV reaction is specially useful in visualization and quantification of blast cells in hypercellular marrow slides. In positive cases it further allows a reliable evaluation of the mark infiltration and duration of remission.

Acid Phosphatase↗

The costimulatory activity of the CD26 antigen requires dipeptidyl peptidase IV enzymatic activity.

T cells have been shown to express CD26, a known ectoenzyme with dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV; EC 3.4.14.5) activity in its extracellular domain. CD26 can also deliver a second costimulatory signal and contribute to T-cell activation. In an earlier study, we established CD26-transfected Jurkat T-cell lines and demonstrated that monoclonal antibody-mediated crosslinking of CD26 and CD3 induced interleukin 2 (IL-2) production. To determine the contribution of DPPIV enzymatic activity to the costimulatory activity of CD26, human CD26 cDNA was mutated so that active-site serine was replaced by alanine. The mutant CD26 antigen lacked DPPIV enzyme activity but still retained reactivity with three anti-CD26 monoclonal antibodies directed against distinct epitopes of CD26. After stimulation with a combination of anti-CD26 and anti-CD3 antibodies, wild-type CD26 (DPPIV+)-transfected Jurkat cells produced substantially more IL-2 than did mutant CD26 (DPPIV-) or CD26- control transfectants. Nevertheless, the mutant CD26-transfected cells still produced significantly more IL-2 than did CD26- control transfectants. These results suggest that DPPIV activity plays an important but not absolute role in the co-stimulatory activity of CD26 in this system. We also found that wild-type CD26 (DPPIV+) transfectants produced more IL-2 than mutant CD26 (DPPIV-)-transfected cells or CD26- control transfectants when triggered by stimuli not involving CD26, such as anti-CD3 and phorbol ester. These results suggest that the DPPIV activity of CD26 functions to augment the cellular responses of CD26-transfected Jurkat cells to external stimuli mediated by CD26 and/or the CD3/T-cell receptor complex, thus enhancing IL-2 production.

Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte↗

Biosynthesis, glycosylation, and enzymatic processing in vivo of human tripeptidyl-peptidase I.

Human tripeptidyl-peptidase I (TPP I, CLN2 protein) is a lysosomal serine protease that removes tripeptides from the free N termini of small polypeptides and also shows a minor endoprotease activity. Due to various naturally occurring mutations, an inherited deficiency of TPP I activity causes a fatal lysosomal storage disorder, classic late infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (CLN2). In the present study, we analyzed biosynthesis, glycosylation, transport, and proteolytic processing of this enzyme in stably transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells as well as maturation of the endocytosed proenzyme in CLN2 lymphoblasts, fibroblasts, and N2a cells. Human TPP I was initially identified as a single precursor polypeptide of approximately 68 kDa, which, within a few hours, was converted to the mature enzyme of approximately 48 kDa. Compounds affecting the pH of intracellular acidic compartments, those interfering with the intracellular vesicular transport as well as inhibition of the fusion between late endosomes and lysosomes by temperature block or 3-methyladenine, hampered the conversion of TPP I proenzyme into the mature form, suggesting that this process takes place in lysosomal compartments. Digestion of immunoprecipitated TPP I proenzyme with both N-glycosidase F and endoglycosidase H as well as treatment of the cells with tunicamycin reduced the molecular mass of TPP I proenzyme by approximately 10 kDa, which indicates that all five potential N-glycosylation sites in TPP I are utilized. Mature TPP I was found to be partially resistant to endo H treatment; thus, some of its N-linked oligosaccharides are of the complex/hybrid type. Analysis of the effect of various classes of protease inhibitors and mutation of the active site Ser(475) on human TPP I maturation in cultured cells demonstrated that although TPP I zymogen is capable of autoactivation in vitro, a serine protease that is sensitive to AEBSF participates in processing of the proenzyme to the mature, active form in vivo.

Amidohydrolases↗

Maturation of human tripeptidyl-peptidase I in vitro.

Tripeptidyl-peptidase I (TPP I, CLN2 protein) is a lysosomal aminopeptidase that cleaves off tripeptides from the free N termini of oligopeptides and also shows minor endopeptidase activity. TPP I is synthesized as a preproenzyme. Its proenzyme autoactivates under acidic conditions in vitro, resulting in a rapid conversion into the mature form. In this study, we examined the process of maturation in vitro of recombinant latent human TPP I purified to homogeneity from secretions of Chinese hamster ovary cells overexpressing TPP I cDNA. Autoprocessing of TPP I proenzyme was carried out at a wide pH range, from approximately 2.0 to 6.0, albeit with different efficiencies depending on the pH and the type of buffer. However, the acquisition of enzymatic activity in the same buffer took place in a narrower pH "window," usually in the range of 3.6-4.2. N-terminal sequencing revealed that mature, inactive enzyme generated during autoactivation at higher pH contained N-terminal extensions (starting at 6 and 14 amino acid residues upstream of the prosegment/mature enzyme junction), which could contribute to the lack of activity of TPP I generated in this manner. Autoprocessing was not associated with any major changes of the secondary structure of the proenzyme, as revealed by CD spectroscopy. Both the activation and proteolytic processing of the recombinant TPP I precursor were primarily concentration-independent. The addition of the mature enzyme did not accelerate the processing of the proenzyme. In addition, the maturation of the proenzyme was not affected by the presence of glycerol. Finally, the proenzyme with the active site mutated (S475L) was not processed in the presence of the wild-type enzyme. All of these findings indicate a primarily intramolecular (unimolecular) mechanism of TPP I activation and autoprocessing and suggest that in vivo mature enzyme does not significantly participate in its own generation from the precursor.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Glycosaminoglycans modulate activation, activity, and stability of tripeptidyl-peptidase I in vitro and in vivo.

Tripeptidyl-peptidase I (TPP I, CLN2 protein) is a lysosomal exopeptidase that sequentially removes tripeptides from the N termini of polypeptides and shows a minor endoprotease activity. Mutations in TPP I lead to classic late-infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis, a neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disease. TPP I proenzyme is converted in lysosomes into a mature enzyme with the assistance of another protease and is able to autoactivate in acidic pH in vitro via a unimolecular mechanism. Because autoactivation in vitro at the pH values reported for lysosomes generated inactive enzyme, we intended to determine whether physiologically relevant factors can modify this process to also make it plausible in vivo. Here, we report that high ionic strength and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) increase yields (ionic strength) or yields and rates (GAGs) of activation, enhance degradation of liberated TPP I prosegment fragments, and switch effective autoactivation of TPP I proenzyme toward less acidic pH values (up to pH 6.0). Although ionic strength and GAGs also inhibited TPP I activity in vitro and in living cells, the degree of inhibition (from 20 to 60%) appears to be of rather limited functional significance. Importantly, binding to GAGs improved thermal stability of TPP I and protected the enzyme against alkaline pH-induced denaturation in vitro (t((1/2)) of mature enzyme at pH 7.4 increased by approximately 8-fold in the presence of heparin) and in vivo ( approximately 2-fold higher loss of TPP I in cells deficient in GAGs than in control cells after bafilomycin A1 treatment). These findings elucidate a potent physiologically relevant mechanism of TPP I regulation by GAGs and suggest that generation of the active enzyme via autoactivation can be accomplished not only in vitro but in vivo as well.

Aminopeptidases↗

Determination of the substrate specificity of tripeptidyl-peptidase I using combinatorial peptide libraries and development of improved fluorogenic substrates.

Classical late-infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis is a fatal neurodegenerative disease caused by mutations in CLN2, the gene encoding the lysosomal protease tripeptidyl-peptidase I (TPP I). The natural substrates for TPP I and the pathophysiological processes associated with lysosomal storage and disease progression are not well understood. Detailed characterization of TPP I substrate specificity should provide insights into these issues and also aid in the development of improved clinical and biochemical assays. To this end, we constructed fluorogenic and standard combinatorial peptide libraries and analyzed them using fluorescence and mass spectrometry-based activity assays. The fluorogenic group 7-amino-4-carbamoylmethylcoumarin was incorporated into a series of 7-amino-4-carbamoylmethylcoumarin tripeptide libraries using a design strategy that allowed systematic evaluation of the P1, P2, and P3 positions. TPP I digestion of these substrates liberates the fluorescence group and results in a large increase in fluorescence that can be used to calculate kinetic parameters and to derive the substrate specificity constant kcat/KM. In addition, we implemented a mass spectrometry-based assay to measure the hydrolysis of individual peptides in peptide pools and thus expand the scope of the analysis. Nonfluorogenic tetrapeptide and pentapeptide libraries were synthesized and analyzed to evaluate P1' and P2' residues. Together, this analysis allowed us to predict the relative specificity of TPP I toward a wide range of potential biological substrates. In addition, we evaluated a variety of new fluorogenic peptides with a P3 Arg residue, and we demonstrated their superiority compared with the widely used substrate Ala-Ala-Phe-AMC for selectively measuring TPP I activity in biological specimens.

Aminopeptidases↗

Preparative purification of dipeptidyl peptidase IV.

Dipeptidyl-Peptidase IV was purified from pig kidney by ammonium sulfate fractionation, gel filtration, QAE-cellulose chromatography and affinity columns with Gly-Pro- and Concanavalin A-Sepharose. The specific activity of the purified enzyme is 41.8 units/mg. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and silver staining show a single band. The enzyme preparation is free of aminopeptidase and dipeptidase activity, proved fluorimetrically and by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The most important procedure for removal of contaminating enzyme activities is a stepwise NaCl-gradient on a QAE-ZetaPrep ion exchange disk.

Animals↗

Molecular dissection of the NH2-terminal signal/anchor sequence of rat dipeptidyl peptidase IV.

Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV) is a membrane glycoprotein with a type II orientation in the plasma membrane. As shown in a cell-free translation system, the amino-terminal 34 amino acids of rat DPPIV are involved in translocating nascent polypeptide across the membrane of microsomes and in anchoring the translocated polypeptide in the microsomal membrane. The amino-terminal sequence performing this dual function is composed of: a central hydrophobic core of 22 amino acid residues; 6 amino-terminal residues preceding the hydrophobic core (MKTPWK); and 6 residues following the hydrophobic core. The six residues preceding the hydrophobic core are exposed on the outside (cytoplasmic side) of the microsomal membrane. Site-directed mutagenesis studies show that deletion of this cytoplasmic domain, excluding the amino-terminal initiating methionine, does not affect translocation of nascent DPPIV polypeptide, but does affect significantly anchoring of the translocated polypeptide in the microsomal membrane. In contrast, changing the two cytoplasmic Lys to Glu residues or shortening of the hydrophobic core from 22 to 15 residues or converting the last 11e of the shortened hydrophobic core into Ala affects neither translocation across nor anchoring of the DPPIV polypeptide in the microsomal membrane. These and other structural features of the DPPIV amino-terminal signal-anchor sequences are discussed along with other types of sequences for their role in targeting nascent polypeptides to the RER.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Lung endothelial dipeptidyl peptidase IV is an adhesion molecule for lung-metastatic rat breast and prostate carcinoma cells.

Attachment of circulating tumor cells to endothelial cell adhesion molecules restricted to select vascular compartments is thought to be responsible for site-specific metastasis. Lung-metastatic rat R3230AC-MET breast and RPC-2 prostate carcinoma cells bound outside-out endothelial cell membrane vesicles, prepared by perfusion of the rat lung vasculature with a low-strength formaldehyde solution, in significantly higher numbers than their nonmetastatic counterparts R3230AC-LR and RPC-LR. In contrast, vesicles derived from the vasculature of a nonmetastasized organ (e.g., hind leg muscle) showed no binding preference for either of the four tumor cell lines. Lung-derived endothelial vesicles were used here to generate mAbs against lung endothelial cell adhesion molecules. The first group of mice were actively immunized against lung endothelial vesicles, whereas the second group was injected with syngeneic mouse antiserum against leg endothelial vesicles before active immunization with lung endothelial vesicles. 17 hybridoma supernatants obtained from the two fusions bound lung vesicles with at least a 10-fold higher affinity than leg vesicles. Seven (four obtained by a passive/active immunization protocol) stained rat capillary endothelia. One mAb, mAb 8.6A3, inhibited specific adhesion of lung-derived vesicles to lung-metastatic breast and prostate carcinoma cells. Purification of the antigen (endothelial cell adhesion molecule) from rat lung extracts revealed a protein with a 110-kD mol wt. NH2-terminal sequencing established identity with dipeptidyl peptidase IV which had been reported to serve as a fibronectin-binding protein. These results indicate that vesicles obtained from in situ perfused organs are a convenient immunogen for the production of antibodies to compartment-specific endothelial cell surface molecules, and reinforce the concept that endothelial cell surface components are selectively recognized by circulating cancer cells during metastasis formation.

Animals↗

Catalytic residues and substrate specificity of recombinant human tripeptidyl peptidase I (CLN2).

Tripeptidyl peptidase I (TTP-I), also known as CLN2, a member of the family of serine-carboxyl proteinases (S53), plays a crucial role in lysosomal protein degradation and a deficiency in this enzyme leads to fatal neurodegenerative disease. Recombinant human TPP-I and its mutants were analyzed in order to clarify the biochemical role of TPP-I and its mechanism of activity. Ser280, Glu77, and Asp81 were identified as the catalytic residues based on mutational analyses, inhibition studies, and sequence similarities with other family members. TPP-I hydrolyzed most effectively the peptide Ala-Arg-Phe*Nph-Arg-Leu (*, cleavage site) (k(cat)/K(m) = 2.94 microM(-1).s(-1)). The k(cat)/K(m) value for this substrate was 40 times higher than that for Ala-Ala-Phe-MCA. Coupled with other data, these results strongly suggest that the substrate-binding cleft of TPP-I is composed of only six subsites (S(3)-S(3)'). TPP-I prefers bulky and hydrophobic amino acid residues at the P(1) position and Ala, Arg, or Asp at the P(2) position. Hydrophilic interactions at the S(2) subsite are necessary for TPP-I, and this feature is unique among serine-carboxyl proteinases. TPP-I might have evolved from an ancestral gene in order to cleave, in cooperation with cathepsins, useless proteins in the lysosomal compartment.

Aminopeptidases↗

Distribution of tripeptidyl peptidase I in human tissues under normal and pathological conditions.

Tripeptidyl peptidase I (TPP I) is a lysosomal exopeptidase that cleaves tripeptides from the free N-termini of oligopeptides. Mutations in this enzyme are associated with the classic late-infantile form of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (CLN2), an autosomal recessive disorder leading to severe brain damage. To gain more insight into CLN2 pathogenesis and the role of TPP I in human tissues in general, we analyzed the temporal and spatial distribution of TPP I in the brain and its localization in internal organs under normal and pathological conditions. We report that TPP I immunoreactivity appears in neurons late in gestation and increases gradually in the postnatal period, matching significantly the final differentiation and maturation of neural tissue. Endothelial cells, choroid plexus, microglial cells, and ependyma showed TPP I immunostaining distinctly earlier than neurons. Acquisition of the adult pattern of TPP I distribution in the brain at around the age of 2 years correlates with the onset of clinical signs in CLN2 subjects. In adults, TPP I was found in all types of cells in the brain and internal organs we studied, although the intensity of TPP I labeling varied among several types of cells and showed a noticeable predilection for cells and/or organs associated with peptide hormone and neuropeptide production. In addition, TPP I immunoreactivity was increased in aging brain, neurodegenerative and lysosomal storage disorders, and some differentiated neoplasms and was reduced in ischemic/anoxic areas and undifferentiated tumors. These findings suggest that TPP I is involved in general protein turnover and that its expression may be controlled by various regulatory mechanisms, which highlights the importance of this enzyme for normal function of cells and organs in humans.

Adolescent↗

Tripeptidyl peptidase I, the late infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis gene product, initiates the lysosomal degradation of subunit c of ATP synthase.

The specific accumulation of a hydrophobic protein, subunit c of ATP synthase, in lysosomes from the cells of patients with the late infantile form of NCL (LINCL) is caused by a defect in the CLN2 gene product, tripeptidyl peptidase I (TPP-I). The data here show that TPP-I is involved in the initial degradation of subunit c in lysosomes and suggest that its absence leads directly to the lysosomal accumulation of subunit c. The inclusion of a specific inhibitor of TPP-I, Ala-Ala-Phe-chloromethylketone (AAF-CMK), in the culture medium of normal fibroblasts induced the lysosomal accumulation of subunit c. In an in vitro incubation experiment the addition of AAF-CMK to mitochondrial-lysosomal fractions from normal cells inhibited the proteolysis of subunit c, but not the b-subunit of ATP synthase. The use of two antibodies that recognize the aminoterminal and the middle portion of subunit c revealed that the subunit underwent aminoterminal proteolysis, when TPP-I, purified from rat spleen, was added to the mitochondrial fractions. The addition of both purified TPP-I and the soluble lysosomal fractions, which contain various proteinases, to the mitochondrial fractions resulted in rapid degradation of the entire molecule of subunit c, whereas the degradation of subunit c was markedly delayed through the specific inhibition of TPP-I in lysosomal extracts by AAF-CMK. The stable subunit c in the mitochondrial-lysosomal fractions from cells of a patient with LINCL was degraded on incubation with purified TPP-I. The presence of TPP-I led to the sequential cleavage of tripeptides from the N-terminus of the peptide corresponding to the amino terminal sequence of subunit c.

Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones↗

Purification and characterization of dipeptidyl peptidase IV in rat liver lysosomal membranes.

Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (m-DPP IV) in rat liver lysosomal membranes was purified about 50-fold over the lysosomal membranes with 38% recovery to apparent homogeneity, as determined from the pattern on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence and in the absence of SDS. The enzyme amounts to about 3% of lysosomal membrane protein constituents. The purification procedures included: extraction of lysosomal membranes by Triton X-100, WGA-Sepharose affinity chromatography, hydroxylapatite chromatography, ion exchange chromatography, and preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The enzyme (M(r) 240,000) is composed of two identical subunits with an apparent molecular weight of 110,000. The enzyme contains about 12.4% carbohydrate and the carbohydrate moiety was composed of mannose, galactose, fucose, N-acetylglucosamine, and neuraminic acid in a molar ratio of 14:17:2:24:11. Susceptibility to neuraminidase and immunoreactivity of the enzyme in intact tritosomes were examined to study the topology of the enzyme in tritosomal membranes. Neuraminidase susceptibility and immunoreactivity of the enzyme were not observed in the intact tritosomes until the tritosomes had been disrupted by osmotic shock. This result indicated that both the oligosaccharide chains and the main protein portion of the enzyme are on the inside surface of the tritosomal membranes. Subcellular localization of DPP IV was determined by means of enzyme immunoassay, which indicated that bile canalicular membranes and lysosomal membranes are the major sites of localization, and DPP IV activity in lysosomes was separated into a membrane bound form (60%) and a soluble form (40%). Immunoelectron microscopy clearly confirmed that DPP IV occurs not only in the bile canalicular domain but also in the lysosomes of rat liver.

Animals↗

Purification and some properties of a membrane-bound dipeptidyl peptidase IV of guinea pig casein-induced intraperitoneal leukocytes.

Dipeptidyl peptidase IV [EC 3.4.14.5] (DPP-IV) was demonstrated to exist in guinea pig casein-induced, peritoneal polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) as well as contaminating macrophages and lymphocytes through the use of glycyl-L-prolyl-4-methylcoumaryl-7-amide (Gly-Pro-MCA) as a substrate. The DPP-IV of PMN was found to be located both on the plasma membrane and in the cytosol. For characterization, the plasma membrane-bound enzyme isolated from peritoneal cells mainly consisting of PMN was solubilized with 0.1% Triton N101 and purified by DEAE-cellulose chromatography, gel filtration, and affinity chromatographies on concanavalin A-Sepharose 4B and Gly-Pro-Sepharose 4B. The purification was more than 570-fold. The purified enzyme appears to be a noncovalent dimer of the 158K dalton DPP-IV. The pH optimum, isoelectric point and Km value for Gly-Pro-MCA were 7.2, 5.5, and 2.0 X 10(-4)M, respectively. The enzyme was inactivated by diisopropyl fluorophosphate and diprotin A. It was capable of cleaving dipeptidyl-MCA of an X-Pro-MCA type (X: free N-terminal amino acid). These properties are similar to those of DPP-IV purified from other tissues.

Animals↗

Dipeptidyl peptidase IV and aminopeptidase in burn wound exudates: implications for wound healing.

Two catalytically active proteases, dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DP IV) and aminopeptidase (AP), not previously reported as present in burn wound exudates, have been identified by substrate specificity and susceptibility to known enzyme inhibitors. The ratio of the two enzymes in exudates is significantly different from the ratio in plasma collected from the same patient during the same time interval, suggesting that measurement of exudate components may be more significant than plasma activities in evaluating local conditions in the wound. A number of biologically significant substances are DP IV substrates, and the list can be considerably extended by the sequential action of AP and DP IV. Some polypeptides are converted to their biologically active form by DP IV action, while others are degraded to inactive forms. Either action generates X-Pro dipeptides, which have a demonstrably beneficial effect on wound healing. Although not resolved by molecular sizing or anion exchange chromatography, DP IV and AP in a burn wound exudate were purified by affinity chromatography.

Adult↗

Involvement of dipeptidyl peptidase IV in an in vivo immune response.

Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DP IV) is a serine protease that selectively cleaves X-Pro dipeptides from polypeptides and proteins. Among blood cells, this enzyme occurs preferentially on the surface of CD4+ T cells and the amount of enzyme activity increases with T cell activation. In previous work, two potent and specific peptidyl-boronic acid inhibitors of DP IV, Ala-boroPro and Pro-boroPro, were synthesized and Pro-boroPro was shown to suppress antigen-specific proliferative responses of T cells in vitro. In this study, we tested the in vivo effects of these inhibitors. Subcutaneous injection of Ala-boroPro or Pro-boroPro into BALB/c mice inhibited DP IV activity in serum and spleen cell suspensions. Repeated injections of more than 10 micrograms of Ala-boroPro or Pro-boroPro at 12 h intervals maintained in vivo DP IV activity at less than 30% of the normal level. Repeated injections of the inhibitors during the primary, secondary or tertiary immune response to bovine serum albumin (BSA) reduced anti-BSA antibody production. Without inhibitor, immunization with BSA was followed by a temporary decrease in serum DP IV activity and then by enhanced serum enzyme activity after several days. These results provide the first direct evidence that DP IV plays an important role in immune response in vivo.

Animals↗