[Membrane-bound proteases involved in neuropeptide degradation in the brain]

The action of neuropeptides at the synapse is terminated through enzymatic degradation by membrane-bound proteases. We defined and purified membrane-bound proteases functioning at the initial stage of degradation of four neuropeptides. 1. Substance P-degrading endopeptidases isolated from the rat brain and pig striatum showed similar properties to those of endopeptidase-24.16 (neurolysin) except for cleavage sites of substance P. 2. LHRH fragment (1-5)-generating endopeptidases isolated from the neuroblastoma cells and rat brain showed similar properties to those of endopeptidase-24.15 (thimet oligopeptidase). 3. One of two dynorphin-degrading cysteine proteases isolated from neuroblastoma cells showed strict specificity toward the Arg-Arg residues. 4. Endopeptidase-24.11 (neprilysin) isolated from the rat brain was identified as a somatostatin-degrading enzyme.