title: Characterization of the enkephalin-degrading aminopeptidase of neuroblastoma (N1E-115) cell membranes.
abstract: A membrane-bound enkephalin (ENK) -hydrolyzing amino-peptidase (AP) was partially purified from neuroblastoma (clone N1E-115) cell membranes; enzyme activity was assayed by determination of the leu-enkephalin (LENK) degradation product, tyrosine (Tyr), with HPLC. The enzyme was extracted with Triton X-100, resolved by anion-exchange chromatography and further purified by gel filtration. The overall purification was about 100-fold with a yield of 43%. The apparent Mr value of the AP by gel filtration in the presence of 0.3% Triton X-100 was approx. 400 kDa. In the absence of detergent the apparent Mr value was about 305 kDa. In the elution buffers, where Triton X-100 was omitted, the peptidase activity was lost. The enzyme had a Km of 0.13 mM and a Vmax of 450 nmoles per mg protein per min at 25 degrees C for LENK and exhibited little sensitivity to bestatin (IC50: 200 microM) and puromycin (IC50: 500 microM), but it was strongly inhibited by amastatin (IC50: 8 microM). The enzyme is an amphiphilic membrane protein; the native primary structure is preserved only in the 'detergent form'. It seems to be AP N (EC 3.4.11.2) with an optimum of pH 7.2 to 7.4. We assume that this AP plays the important role in inactivating ENKs on the neuronal level. The ENK-degrading AP, partially purified from primary rat brain astrocyte cell membranes, exhibited a smaller apparent Mr value (130 kDa) and a higher sensitivity to amastatin (IC50: 0.4 microM), bestatin (IC50: 90 nM) and puromycin (IC50: 5 microM) than did the N1E-115 enzyme.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000201:enzymology*; D002999:Clone Cells; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D008970:Molecular Weight; D015260:Neprilysin; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000201:enzymology*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D008666:Metalloendopeptidases; D015260:Neprilysin