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PubMed1992

Identification of human placental leucine aminopeptidase as oxytocinase.

Human placental leucine aminopeptidase (P-LAP) was purified from retroplacental serum for the first time by serial chromatography on columns of Matrex Blue A, DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B, phenyl-Sepharose 4B, chelating-Sepharose, and Sepharose CL-6B. The purified P-LAP was apparently homogeneous on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and the apparent molecular weight (Mr) was estimated to be 210,000. By comparing P-LAP activity with cystine aminopeptidase activity, we concluded that both activities were shared by the same molecule. We also examined the hydrolytic activity of P-LAP using naturally occurring peptide hormones and found that the enzyme hydrolyzed oxytocin, vasopressin, and angiotensin III. These results suggest that P-LAP shows oxytocinase activity and plays an important role in the regulation of the plasma level of these hormones during pregnancy.

Chromatography, Gel↗
PubMed1988

Angiotensin metabolism by cerebral microvascular aminopeptidase A.

Porcine cerebral microvessels were isolated by differential sieving and centrifugation and were characterized by microscopic examination and marker enzyme enrichment (gamma-glutamyltransferase; EC 2.3.2.2). Purified microvessels contained a membrane-bound enzyme immunologically indistinguishable from renal aminopeptidase A (AmA; EC 3.4.11.7). AmA hydrolyzed both alpha-glutamyl- and alpha-aspartyl-2-naphthylamide, and hydrolysis was competitively inhibited by angiotensin II. Micro-vessel AmA hydrolyzed the N-terminal Asp1-Arg2 bond of both angiotensin I and angiotensin II, whereas the angiotensin II antagonist saralasin [(Sar1, Ala8)angiotensin II] was resistant to N-terminal hydrolysis. Angiotensin metabolism was optimal at pH 8.5 and was inhibited by EDTA, o-phenanthroline and amastatin. Conversely, inhibitors of neutral endopeptidase (phosphoramidon), post-proline cleaving enzyme (Z-Pro-Prolinal), carboxypeptidase N [D-L-mercaptomethyl-3-guanidinoethylthiopropanoic acid (MERGETPA)] and angiotensin I converting enzyme (captopril) had no effect. The Km values of angiotensin I, angiotensin II and (Asn1, Val5)angiotensin II for microvessel AmA were 40.1 +/- 8.2, 35.3 +/- 4.3 and 156 +/- 22 microM respectively. Cerebral microvascular aminopeptidase A may play a role in vivo in modulating angiotensin-mediated local cerebral blood flow, and in preventing circulating angiotensins from crossing the blood-brain barrier.

Aminopeptidases↗
PubMed1981

A new fluorometric ultramicro determination of serum cystine aminopeptidase using an aminocoumarine derivative.

A rapid and sensitive fluorometric rate assay of serum cystine aminopeptidase is described using a novel fluorogenic substrate, 7-S-benzyl-L-cysteinyl-4-methylcoumarinylamide. The proposed method enabled us to determine cystine aminopeptidase activity in one minute using 10 microliter of serum. The assay was shown to be free from error due to the adsorption of the substrate to serum albumin. The values obtained by this method gave good correlation with those obtained by the conventional method of Watson [6].

Aminopeptidases↗
PubMed1984

Fractionation of cystine aminopeptidases ('oxytocinase') from term human placenta and maternal serum.

Cystine aminopeptidase (EC 3.4.11.3) enzymes, present in term human placenta and maternal serum, were compared with respect to their behaviour on ion-exchange columns, Km and pH optima, chelator, metal ion and L-methionine effects, Sepharose 6B elution profiles and molecular weights. From placental extracts two activity peaks (CAS I and II) hydrolysing S-benzyl L-cysteine paranitroanilide were separated on DEAE Sephacel. Differences in properties between the two forms were evident. Maternal serum enzyme eluted from the DEAE Sephacel column in a position similar to that of placental CAS I. In addition, the maternal serum enzyme was similar in properties to placental CAS I. It is possible that of all the different cystyl aminopeptidase enzyme systems present in placental tissue, only one appears in maternal blood.

Aminopeptidases↗
PubMed1996

The in vivo metabolism of cholecystokinin (CCK-8) is essentially ensured by aminopeptidase A.

The role of aminopeptidase A (APA) in inactivating cholecystokinin (CCK-8) was investigated in in vitro and in vivo experiments. EC 33 (3-amino-4-thio-butyl sulfonate), a selective APA inhibitor, decreased the formation of CCK7 after incubation of CCK-8 with rat brain synaptic membranes. The Km of purified APA for CCK-8, determined by quantifying CCK-7 production, was 144 microM and the Kcat 1400 s-1 . EC 33 protected endogenous CCK-like immunoreactivity (CCK-LI) released from brain slices by evoked depolarizations. The serine/thiol protease inhibitor Ala-Ala-Pro-Val-COCH2Cl (AAPV), alone or in combination with EC 33, did not modify significantly the level of CCK-LI released from the hippocampus, whereas it weakly protected the CCK-LI released from the cortex. Intracerebroventricular coadministration of CCK-8 and EC 33 in mouse brain led to a significant increase in the apparent affinity of CCK-8 as determined by the inhibition of the selective CCKB receptor agonist binding [3H]pBC 264 (ID50 = 88 pmol vs. 8250 pmol for CCK-8 alone); AAPV was less potent (ID50 = 445 pmol). In the same experiment the ID50 of pCCK-8, protected from aminopeptidases by a propionyl group was 86 pmol. These results strongly suggest that APA plays a major role in the inactivating pathway of CCK-8.

Aminopeptidases↗
PubMed2005

alpha-Aminoalkylphosphonates as a tool in experimental optimisation of P1 side chain shape of potential inhibitors in S1 pocket of leucine- and neutral aminopeptidases.

The synthesis and biological activity studies of the series of structurally different alpha-aminoalkylphosphonates were performed in order to optimise the shape of the side chain of the potential inhibitors in S1 pocket of leucine aminopeptidase [E.C.3.4.11.1]. Analysis of a series of compounds with aromatic, aliphatic and alicyclic P1 side chains enabled to find out the structural features, optimal for that fragment of inhibitors of LAP. The most active among all investigated compounds were the phosphonic analogues of homo-tyrosine (K(i)=120 nM) and homo-phenylalanine (K(i)=140 nM), which even as racemic mixtures were better inhibitors in comparison with the best till now-phosphonic analogue of l-leucine (230 nM). Additional comparison of the inhibitory activity obtained for aminopeptidase N (APN, E.C.3.4.11.2) give insight into structural preferences of both enzymes.

Aminopeptidases↗
PubMed2002

Identification of histidine residues important in the catalysis and structure of aspartyl aminopeptidase.

Aspartyl aminopeptidase (DAP), a widely distributed and abundant cytosolic enzyme, removes glutamyl or aspartyl residues from N-terminal acidic amino acid-containing peptides. DAP is a member of the M18 family of the MH clan of cocatalytic metallopeptidases. The human and mouse enzymes have been cloned. We have identified 8 highly homologous eukaryotic sequences that are probable aspartyl aminopeptidases. Eight histidine residues of human DAP were sequentially mutated to phenylalanine. Mutation of His94, His170, and His440 abolished enzymatic activity. His94 and His440 are postulated to be involved in binding cocatalytic zinc atoms by homology with other members of the MH clan. Mutation of His352 dramatically reduced enzyme activity. Gel-filtration analysis of the His352 mutant revealed destabilization of the quaternary structure and dissociation of the native 440-kDa enzyme. Mutation of His33 and of histidines residing in a cluster at residues 349, 359, and 363 all decreased k(cat). These studies reveal an important role for histidine residues both in catalysis and in the structural integrity of DAP.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1997

Aminopeptidase A antiserum inhibits intracerebroventricular angiotensin II-induced dipsogenic and pressor responses.

Angiotensin II increases drinking and blood pressure when administered intracerebroventricularly. Intracerebroventricular injections of antiserum with anticatalytic activity against aminopeptidase A, the principal enzyme that metabolizes angiotensin II to angiotensin III, reduced the drinking and blood pressure responses to 10 pmol angiotensin II by 73% and 59%, respectively. APA antiserum had no effect on responses to angiotensin III administered intracerebroventricularly. A Glu-thiol inhibitor of aminopeptidase A also reduced angiotensin II-induced drinking. These results suggest that metabolism of angiotensin II to angiotensin III is an obligatory activation step for the brain angiotensin system.

Aminopeptidases↗
PubMed1999

The effect of N-terminal acetylation and the inhibition activity of acetylated enkephalins on the aminopeptidase M-catalyzed hydrolysis of enkephalins.

High performance liquid chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry were used to study the effect of N-terminal acetylation and the inhibition activity of acetylated enkephalins on the aminopeptidase M (EC 3.4.11.2)-catalyzed hydrolysis of methionine (Met-enk) and leucine enkephalins (Leu-enk). Acetylation imparts a significant enhancement in the proteolytic stability of these two peptides. After 30 min of the reaction, < 10% of both acetylated enkephalins was hydrolyzed. In an 8-h incubation period, only a maximum of 54% acetylated (Ac)-Met-enk and 38% Ac-Leu-enk was hydrolyzed. Vmax and Km [infil] for the degradation of Ac-Met-enk were 1.4 nmol/min/50 ng and 2.2 mM, respectively. The corresponding values for the reaction of Ac-Leu-enk were 0.5 nmol/min/50 ng and 0.9 mM. Also, the aminopeptidase M activity on Met-enk can be inhibited in the presence of Ac-Met-enk, which acts as a mixed-type inhibitor with the inhibition constant (K(i)) of I x 10(-3) M.

Acetylation↗
PubMed1999

A methionine aminopeptidase and putative regulator of translation initiation is required for cell growth and patterning in Drosophila.

We have isolated mutations in the gene Drosophila methionine aminopeptidase 2 (DMAP2), which encodes a homolog of the type 2 methionine aminopeptidase from yeast, also known as the eukaryotic initiation factor 2alpha (eIF2alpha) associated protein p67. Weak DMAP2 mutations cause ommatidial rotation defects and loss of ventral tissue in the compound eye as well as extra wing veins, whereas stronger alleles impair tissue growth. These limited phenotypes, in conjunction with the differential accumulation of DMAP2 transcripts throughout embryonic and larval development, suggest that a subset of proteins is spatially and temporally regulated at the level of post-translational processing or translation initiation during development. These results provide genetic evidence for post-transcriptional control in the development of multicellular organisms.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2005

Characterization of a TET-like aminopeptidase complex from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus horikoshii.

Pyrococcus horikoshii open reading frame PH1527 encodes a 39014 Da protein that shares about 30% identity with endoglucanases and members of the M42 peptidase family. Analytical ultracentrifugation and electron microscopy studies showed that the purified recombinant protein forms stable, large dodecameric complexes with a tetrahedral shape similar to the one described for DAP, a deblocking aminopeptidase that was characterized in the same organism. The two related proteins were named PhTET1 (for DAP) and PhTET2 (for PH1527). The substrate specificity and the mode of action of the PhTET2 complex were studied in detail and compared to those of PhTET1 and other assigned M42 peptidases. When assayed with short chromogenic peptides, PhTET2 was found to be an aminopeptidase, with a clear preference for leucine as the N-terminal amino acid. However, the enzyme can cleave moderately long polypeptide substrates of various compositions in a fairly unspecific manner. The hydrolytic mechanism was found to be nonprocessive. The enzyme has neither carboxypeptidase nor endoproteolytic activities, and it is devoid of N-terminal deblocking activity. PhTET2 was inhibited in the presence of EDTA and bestatin, and cobalt was found to be an activating metal. The PhTET2 protein is a highly thermostable enzyme that displays optimal activity around 100 degrees C over a broad pH array.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1999

Escherichia coli methionine aminopeptidase: implications of crystallographic analyses of the native, mutant, and inhibited enzymes for the mechanism of catalysis.

By improving the expression and purification of Escherichia coli methionine aminopeptidase (eMetAP) and using slightly different crystallization conditions, the resolution of the parent structure was extended from 2.4 to 1.9 A resolution. This has permitted visualization of the coordination geometry and solvent structure of the active-site dinuclear metal center. One solvent molecule (likely a mu-hydroxide) bridges the trigonal bipyramidal (Co1) and octahedral (Co2) cobalt ions. A second solvent (possibly a hydroxide ion) is bound terminally to Co2. A monovalent cation binding site was also identified about 13 A away from the metal center at an interface between the two subdomains of the protein. The first structure of a substrate-like inhibitor, (3R)-amino-(2S)-hydroxyheptanoyl-L-Ala-L-Leu-L-Val-L-Phe-OMe, bound to a methionine aminopeptidase, has also been determined. This inhibitor coordinates the metal center through four interactions as follows: (i) ligation of the N-terminal (3R)-nitrogen to Co2, (ii, iii) bridging coordination of the (2S)-hydroxyl group, and (iv) terminal ligation to Co1 by the keto oxygen of the pseudo-peptide linkage. Inhibitor binding occurs with the displacement of two solvent ligands and the expansion of the coordination sphere of Co1. In addition to the tetradentate, bis-chelate metal coordination, the substrate analogue forms hydrogen bonds with His79 and His178, two conserved residues within the active site of all MetAPs. To evaluate their importance in catalysis His79 and His178 were replaced with alanine. Both substitutions, but especially that of His79, reduce activity. The structure of the His79Ala apoenzyme and the comparison of its electronic absorption spectra with other variants suggest that the loss in activity is not due to a conformational change or a defective metal center. Two different reaction mechanisms are proposed and are compared to those of related enzymes. These results also suggest that inhibitors analogous to that reported here may be useful in preventing angiogenesis in cancer and in the treatment of microbial and fungal infections.

Aminopeptidases↗
PubMed2000

Potent and selective inhibition of zinc aminopeptidase A (EC 3.4.11.7, APA) by glutamyl aminophosphinic peptides: importance of glutamyl aminophosphinic residue in the P1 position.

Through the development of a new chemical strategy, aminophosphinic peptides containing a pseudoglutamyl residue (Glu Psi(PO2-CH2)Leu-Xaa) in the N-terminal position were synthesized and evaluated as inhibitors of aminopeptidase A (APA). The most potent inhibitor developed in this study, Glu Psi(PO2-CH2)Leu-Ala, displayed a Ki value of 0.8 nM for APA, but was much less effective in blocking aminopeptidase N (APN) (Ki = 31 microM). The critical role of the glutamyl residue in this phosphinic peptide, both in potency and selectivity, is exemplified by the P1 position analogue, Ala Psi(PO2-CH2)Leu-Ala, which exhibited a Ki value of 0.9 microM toward APA but behaved as a rather potent inhibitor of APN (Ki = 25 nM). Glu Psi(PO2-CH2)Leu-Xaa peptides are poor inhibitors of angiotensin converting enzyme (Ki values higher than 1 microM). Depending on the nature of the Xaa residue, the potency of these phosphinic peptides toward neutral endopeptidase 24-11 varied from 50 nM to 3 microM. In view of the in vivo role of APA in the formation of brain angiotensin III, one of the main effector peptides of the renin angiotensin system in the central nervous system, highly potent and selective inhibitors of APA may find important therapeutic applications soon.

Aminopeptidases↗
PubMed2000

Histidine 450 plays a critical role in catalysis and, with Ca2+, contributes to the substrate specificity of aminopeptidase A.

Aminopeptidase A (EC 3.4.11.7, APA) is a 130 kDa membrane-bound protease that contains the HEXXH consensus sequence found in the zinc metalloprotease family, the zincins. In addition to the catalytic zinc atom, APA contains a Ca2+ ion that increases its enzymatic activity. Aligning the sequences of the mouse APA, APN, and other monozinc aminopeptidases led to the identification of a conserved histidine (His 450 in mouse APA). Replacing this residue with a phenylalanine (Phe 450) by site-directed mutagenesis resulted in markedly lower levels of APA activity and in a change in the sensitivity of APA to Ca2+ (the EC50 for Ca2+ was 25 microM in the wild type and only 279 microM in the mutant). Kinetic studies, with a supramaximal Ca2+ concentration (4 mM), showed that the Km of the mutant enzyme for the substrate alpha-L-glutamyl-beta-naphthylamide was 25 times higher than that of the wild type, whereas the kcat value was much lower (factor of 22). Thus, overall, the wild-type enzyme had a cleavage efficiency that was 571 times higher than that of the mutant. The inhibitory potencies of two different classes of inhibitors, a glutamate thiol and a glutamate phosphonate compound, were significantly lower (factors of 19 and 22, respectively) for the mutated enzyme than for the wild-type enzyme. In contrast, inhibition by lysine thiol was unaffected. These data strongly suggest that His 450 is critical for catalytic activity and is involved in substrate binding via interaction with the P1 carboxylate side chain of the substrate. Furthermore, His 450, together with Ca2+, may contribute to the substrate specificity of APA for N-terminal acidic amino acid residues.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Investigation of the active site of aminopeptidase A using a series of new thiol-containing inhibitors.

Aminopeptidase A (APA) and aminopeptidase N (APN) are two metallopeptidases which have been suggested to be involved in the enzymatic cascade of the renin-angiotensin system. APA liberates angotensin III from angiotensin II by releasing the N-terminal aspartate, and APN participates in the inactivation of angiotensin III. As the role of angiotensin III in the regulation of blood pressure in the central nervous system and at the periphery is controversial, it was of interest to develop selective and efficient inhibitors of APA. Starting from Glu-thiol(1), which was the first efficient APA inhibitor described, but however is equipotent on APA (Ki = 0.14 microM) and APN (Ki = 0.12 microM), beta-amino thiols bearing various carboxyalkyl chains have been synthesized and their inhibitory potencies measured on both purified enzymes. Compounds containing a carboxylated aromatic ring inhibited APA and APN with Ki values in the micromolar range but were slightly more active on APA. Conversely, inhibitors containing a cyclohexyl ring were more efficient on APN. Various modifications of the structure of Glu-thiol decreased inhibitory activity on both enzymes but increased the selectivity for APA, and compound 9d ((S)-4-amino-6-mercaptohexanoic acid) was 23 times more potent on APA (Ki = 2.0 microM) than on APN (Ki = 45 microM).

Acetylation↗
PubMed1977

Synthesis and structure-activity relationships of bestatin analogues, inhibitors of aminopeptidase B.

Stereoisomers and analogues of bestatin, [(2S,3R)-3-amino-2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutanoyl]-L-leucine, were synthesized and tested for aminopeptidase B and leucine aminopeptidase inhibiting activity. Among the eight stereoisomers, the 2S stereoisomers exhibited strong activity. In a series of compounds in which the L-leucine residue of bestatin was substituted with other amino acids, only the one containing isoleucine showed more activity than bestatin. Norleucine, norvaline, methionine, valine, serine, glutamine, phenylalanine, glutamic acid, proline, and lysine analogues gave, in that order, decreasing activity. Alkyl and phenyl sub stitution for the benzyl group of bestatin decreased the activity markedly. p-Methyl-, p-chloro-, and p-nitrobestatins showed greater activity than bestatin.

Aminopeptidases↗
PubMed1999

Apstatin analogue inhibitors of aminopeptidase P, a bradykinin-degrading enzyme.

Membrane-bound aminopeptidase P (AP-P) participates in the degradation of bradykinin in several vascular beds. We have developed an inhibitor of AP-P called apstatin (1) (N-[(2S, 3R)-3-amino-2-hydroxy-4-phenyl-butanoyl]-L-prolyl-L-prolyl-L-al aninam ide); IC50,human = 2.9 microM. In the rat, apstatin can potentiate the vasodilatory effect of bradykinin, reduce blood pressure in an aortic-coarctation model of hypertension, and reduce cardiac damage and arrhythmias induced by ischemia/reperfusion. In this study, we have determined structure-activity relationships for apstatin analogues as well as for other chemical classes of inhibitors using AP-P isozymes from different sources. The most potent inhibitor was one in which the N-terminal residue of apstatin was replaced with a (2S,3R)-3-amino-2-hydroxy-5-methyl-hexanoyl residue (6, IC50,human = 0.23 microM). The (2R,3S)-analogue of 6 was equipotent with 6 while the (2S,3S)- and (2R,3R)-analogues were considerably less potent. Apstatin analogues lacking the L-alanine or having hydroxyproline in place of the proline in the second position had reduced affinity. Certain thiol-, carboxylalkyl-, and hydroxamate-containing compounds were inhibitory in the low micromolar range. Human cytosolic AP-P isozymes and Escherichia coli AP-P exhibited different inhibitor profiles than mammalian membrane-bound AP-P isozymes. The effects of the compounds on X-Pro dipeptidase (prolidase) and leucyl aminopeptidase are also presented.

Aminopeptidases↗