Specific inhibition of endopeptidase 24.16 by dipeptides.

The inhibitory effect of various dipeptides on the neurotensin-degrading metallopeptidase, endopeptidase 24.16, was examined. These dipeptides mimick the Pro10-Tyr11 bond of neurotensin that is hydrolyzed by endopeptidase 24.16. Among a series of Pro-Xaa dipeptides, the most potent inhibitory effect was elicited by Pro-Ile (Ki approximately 90 microM) with Pro-Ile greater than Pro-Met greater than Pro-Phe. All the Xaa-Tyr dipeptides were unable to inhibit endopeptidase 24.16. The effect of Pro-Ile on several purified peptidases was assessed by means of fluorigenic assays and HPLC analysis. A 5 mM concentration of Pro-Ile does not inhibit endopeptidase 24.11, endopeptidase 24.15, angiotensin-converting enzyme, proline endopeptidase, trypsin, leucine aminopeptidase, pyroglutamyl aminopeptidase I and carboxypeptidase B. The only enzyme that was affected by Pro-Ile was carboxypeptidase A, although it was with a 50-fold lower potency (Ki approximately 5 mM) than for endopeptidase 24.16. By means of fluorimetric substrates with a series of hydrolysing activities, we demonstrate that Pro-Ile can be used as a specific inhibitor of endopeptidase 24.16, even in a complex mixture of peptidase activities such as found in whole rat brain homogenate.