Prostate specific origin of dipeptidylpeptidase IV (CD-26) in human seminal plasma

A number of peptidases which can metabolize certain bioactive peptides and growth factors have been identified in seminal plasma. Our goal in this study was to determine molecular properties and the tissue source(s) for one of these peptidases, dipeptidylpeptidase IV (DPP IV), in human seminal plasma.

We measured the activities of DPP IV with the dipeptide glycylprolyl-p-nitroanalide and its molecular forms using immunoblotting of seminal plasmas of men who were vasectomized or with different sperm concentrations, and in prostatic and seminal vesicle secretions of men undergoing prostatic surgery.

DPP IV in seminal plasma of vasectomized men was a membrane associated dimer comprised of subunits of approximately 110 kDa. Its activity did not differ in seminal plasmas of vasectomized, azoospermic, oligozoospermic and normozoospermic men indicating no correlation with the concentration of sperm originally present in the semen. The DPP IV antigen (CD -26) and enzymic activity were present in prostatic secretion, but absent from that of the seminal vesicles. These data indicate that the prostate gland is the primary source of DPP IV activity in seminal plasma. There was little variation in its activities in repeat seminal plasma samples from the same individual, and there was no change in its activity with age to 50 years.

DPP IV in seminal plasma was derived from the prostate gland and it may be useful as a bioindicator of prostate function and/or disease with age in men.