Bestatin, an aminopeptidase inhibitor with a multi-pharmacological function

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.