title: Bestatin, an aminopeptidase inhibitor with a multi-pharmacological function.
abstract: Bestatin, the dipeptide N-((2S, 3R)-3-amino-2-hydroxy-4-phenyl butanyl) L-leucine is a leucine aminopeptidase and aminopeptidase-B inhibitor. It exerts a direct stimulating effect on lymphocytes (and monocytes) via its fixation on cell surface leucine-aminopeptidase, and an indirect effect on monocytes (and lymphocytes) via aminopeptidase B inhibition of tuftsin catabolism. Thus it is an immuno-modifier as shown by the Japanese and also our groups: a) immuno-modifier, especially stimulator, in normal young mice; b) immunorestorator and spontaneous tumor preventive agent in aged mice; c) immunorestorator in the elderly and in cancer patients and HIV infected subjects. It stimulates granulocytopoiesis and thrombocytopoiesis in vitro, and can restore them in vivo in myelo-hypoplastic man. The anti-aminopeptidase action of Bestatin also protects enkephalins against their catabolism, which encouraged us, with good preliminary results, to study its analgesic action and search for a preventive effect on "desaddicted" toxicomaniac relapses.
authors.affiliation: Institut du Cancer et d'Immunogénétique, Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mathé
mesh_terms: D000626:Aminopeptidases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D000818:Animals; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007930:Leucine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051379:Mice; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D000626:Aminopeptidases; D007930:Leucine; C012211:ubenimex