Kinin and angiotensin metabolism by purified renal post-proline cleaving enzyme

Post-proline cleaving enzyme (PPCE; EC 3.4.21.26) is a proline specific endopeptidase capable of hydrolyzing biologically active peptides. The present studies examined the hydrolysis of kinin- and angiotensin-related peptides by cytosolic PPCE purified from porcine kidney. PPCE hydrolysis of the synthetic substrate Z-Gly-Pro-MCA (30.7 +/- 0.3 mumol . min-1 . mg-1) was competitively inhibited by saralasin, bradykinin, des(Arg9)bradykinin, [Leu8], des(Arg9)bradykinin and angiotensin II (IC50 = 0.5 to 7.0 microM). Qualitative TLC studies demonstrated that each peptide was degraded by hydrolysis on the carboxyl side of proline residues (positions 7 or 8). Quantitative HPLC studies established that peptide degradation was optimal at pH 8.2 to 8.7 and was inhibited by the specific PPCE inhibitor Z-Pro-prolinal (IC50 = 0.8 +/- 0.1 nM). Conversely, degradation was unaffected by inhibitors of aminopeptidases (amastatin), neutral endopeptidase (phosphoramidon), carboxypeptidase N (MERGETPA) or angiotensin I converting enzyme (captopril). Apparent Km values, obtained from Lineweaver-Burk analysis, were comparable for all kinin and angiotensin peptides (Km = 5.5 to 12.8 microM), whereas Vmax values ranged from 1.7 mumol . min-1 . mg-1 for angiotensin II to 0.44 mumol . min-1 . mg-1 for saralasin. These data are consistent with a role for PPCE in the degradation of kinins and angiotensin in vivo.