Post-proline dipeptidyl-aminopeptidase from synaptosomal membranes of guinea-pig brain. A possible role for this activity in the hydrolysis of His-ProNH2, arising from the action of synaptosomal membrane pyroglutamate aminopeptidase on thyroliberin

In this paper we report that while 55% of the total post-proline dipeptidyl-aminopeptidase activity in guinea-pig brain is associated with the soluble fraction of the cells, the remaining activity is widely distributed throughout the particulate fractions. A significant portion of this particulate activity is, however, associated with a synaptosomal membrane fraction. The specific activity of this enzyme rose as the synaptosomal membrane fraction was prepared from a synaptosomal fraction and had previously risen at the synaptosomal fraction was prepared from a postmitochondrial pellet. The synaptosomal membrane post-proline dipeptidyl-aminopeptidase was released from the membrane by treatment with Triton X-100 and partially purified by chromatography on Sephadex G-200. By contrast with the soluble enzyme the partially purified solubilised synaptosomal membrane post-proline dipeptidyl-aminopeptidase was not inhibited by 1.0 mM p-chloromercuribenzoate, 1.0 mM N-ethylmaleimide or 0.5 mM puromycin but was inhibited by 0.5 mM bacitracin. The partially purified solubilised enzyme was capable of releasing His-Pro from His-Pro-Val, His-Pro-Leu, His-Pro-Phe and His-Pro-Tyr and of releasing Gly-Pro from Gly-Pro-Ala but could not release Arg-Pro from Arg-Pro-Pro or from Arg-Pro-Pro-Gly-Phe-Ser-Pro-Phe-Arg (bradykinin). It was also unable to release Pro-Pro from Pro-Pro-Gly or Glp-Pro from Glp-Pro-Ser-Lys-Asp-Ala-Phe-Ile-Gly-Leu-MetNH2 (eledoisin). Using [Pro-3H]thyroliberin we show that the membrane-bound enzyme converts His-ProNH2, produced by the action of the synaptosomal membrane pyroglutamate aminopeptidase, to His-Pro thus competing with the spontaneous cyclisation of His-ProNH2 to His-Pro diketopiperazine. Purified preparations of synaptosomal membrane pyroglutamate aminopeptidase were used to generate His-ProNH2, which could then be converted to His-Pro by the presence of the partially purified synaptosomal membrane post-proline dipeptidyl-aminopeptidase. This preparation was free of contaminating post-proline cleaving endopeptidase, carboxypeptidase P, aminopeptidase P, prolyl carboxypeptidase or proline dipeptidase.