Formation of leucyl-leucine-O-methylester in leucine-O-methylester treated cells.
Porcine polymorphonuclear cells (PMN) and murine macrophages (M phi) were treated in vitro with Leu-OMe or Leu-Leu-OMe (1.5-5.0 mM) for various periods of time. It was found that the Leu-OMe and Leu-Leu-OMe entered cells rapidly, concomitantly the intracellular leucine accumulated. The methyl derivative diffused faster than Leucine due to its lipophylic character. The Leucine-O-methylesters hydrolysed rapidly as a consequence of the esterase and peptidase activities. The cells treated with Leu-OMe accumulated a high amount of Leucine and some Leu-Leu-OMe too. It was found that the formation of the didpeptide-methylester is not a spontaneous process, rather an enzymatic one. The Leu-OMe treated cells serve as a model which can be used to investigate the effect of the amino acid metabolism and the formation of dipeptides intracellularly and extracellularly.
Solymossy
M
M
First Institute of Biochemistry, Semmelweis University Medical School, Budapest, Hungary.
Antoni
F
F
Csuka
I
I
Temesi
A
A
Bánfalvi
G
G
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D004151:Dipeptides / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006868:Hydrolysis; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D007930:Leucine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D013552:Swine
D004151:Dipeptides; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; C045139:leucyl-leucine-methyl ester; C030365:leucine methyl ester; D007930:Leucine