Phosphorylation of prolidase increases the enzyme activity

Prolidase [EC 3.4.13.9] is a ubiquitously distributed imidodipeptidase that catalyzes the hydrolysis of C-terminal proline-containing dipeptides. The enzyme plays an important role in the recycling of proline for collagen synthesis and cell growth. Although, the increase in the enzyme activity is correlated with increased rate of collagen turnover, the mechanism by which prolidase is regulated remain largely unknown. In the present study we found that phosphorylation of fibroblast's prolidase may be an underlying mechanism for up regulation of the enzyme activity. Supporting evidence comes from the following observations: (1) immunoprecipitated prolidase was detected as a phosphotyrosine protein as shown by western immunoblot analysis, (2) tyrosine kinase inhibitor – erbstatin induced (in a dose dependent manner) a decrease in prolidase activity in cultured human skin fibroblasts, (3) anti-phosphotyrosine antibody reduced and phosphotyrosine phosphatase 1B antibody (anti-PTP 1B) increased (in a dose dependent manner) the prolidase activity in extract of fibroblast's homogenate, (4) decrease in prolidase activity from collagenase treated or serum starved fibroblasts can be partially prevented by incubating fibroblast's homogenate extract with anti-PTP 1B antibody. These results provide evidence that prolidase is phosphotyrosine enzyme and suggest that the activity of prolidase may be up regulated by the enzyme phosphorylation.     

Inhibition of prolidase activity by nickel causes decreased growth of proline auxotrophic CHO cells

Occupational exposure to nickel has been epidemiologically linked to increased cancer risk in the respiratory tract. Nickel-induced cell transformation is associated with both genotoxic and epigenetic mechanisms that are poorly understood. Prolidase [E.C.3.4.13.9] is a cytosolic Mn(II)-activated metalloproteinase that specifically hydrolyzes imidodipeptides with C-terminal proline or hydroxyproline and plays an important role in the recycling of proline for protein synthesis and cell growth. Prolidase also provides free proline as substrate for proline oxidase, whose gene is activated by p53 during apoptosis. The inhibition of prolidase activity by nickel has not yet been studied. We first showed that Ni(II) chloride specifically inhibited prolidase activity in CHO-K1 cells in situ. This interpretation was possible because CHO-K1 cells are proline auxotrophs requiring added free proline or proline released from added Gly-Pro by prolidase. In a dose-dependent fashion, Ni(II) inhibited growth on Gly-Pro but did not inhibit growth on proline, thereby showing inhibition of prolidase in situ in the absence of nonspecific toxicity. Studies using cell-free extracts showed that Ni(II) inhibited prolidase activity when present during prolidase activation with Mn(II) or during incubation with Gly-Pro. In kinetic studies, we found that Ni(II) inhibition of prolidase varied with respect to Mn(II) concentration. Analysis of these data suggested that increasing concentrations of Mn(II) stabilized the enzyme protein against Ni(II) inhibition. Because prolidase is an important enzyme in collagen metabolism, inhibition of the enzyme activity by nickel could alter the metabolism of collagen and other matrix proteins, and thereby alter cell-matrix and cell-cell interactions involved in gene expression, genomic stability, cellular differentiation, and cell proliferation.     

Prolidase activity in fibroblasts is regulated by interaction of extracellular matrix with cell surface integrin receptors

Prolidase (EC 3.4.13.9) is a ubiquitously distributed imidodipeptidase that catalyzes the hydrolysis of C-terminal proline or hydroxyproline containing dipeptides. The enzyme plays an important role in the recycling of proline for collagen synthesis and cell growth. An increase in enzyme activity is correlated with increased rates of collagen turnover indicative of extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling, but the mechanism linking prolidase activity and ECM is poorly understood. Thus, the effect of ECM-cell interaction on intracellular prolidase activity is of special interest. In cultured human skin fibroblasts, the interaction with ECM and, more specifically, type I collagen mediated by the β₁ integrin receptor regulates cellular prolidase activity. Supporting evidence comes from the following observations: 1) in sparse cells with a low amount of ECM collagen or in confluent cells in which ECM collagen was removed by collagenase (but not by trypsin or elastase) treatment, prolidase activity was decreased; 2) this effect was reversed by the addition of type I collagen or β₁ integrin antibody (agonist for β₁ integrin receptor); 3) sparse cells (with typically low prolidase activity) showed increased prolidase activity when grown on plates coated with type I collagen or on type IV collagen and laminin, constituents of basement membrane; 4) the relative differences in prolidase activity due to collagenase treatment and subsequent recovery of the activity by β₁ integrin antibody or type I collagen treatment were accompanied by parallel differences in the amount of the enzyme protein recovered from these cells, as shown by Western immunoblot analysis. Thus, we conclude that prolidase activity responded to ECM metabolism (tissue remodeling) through signals mediated by the integrin receptor. J. Cell. Biochem. 67:166–175, 1997. Published 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Improving the catalytic activity of hyperthermophilic Pyrococcus prolidases for detoxification of organophosphorus nerve agents over a broad range of temperatures

Prolidase isolated from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus has potential for application for decontamination of organophosphorus compounds in certain pesticides and chemical warfare agents under harsh conditions. However, current applications that use an enzyme-based cocktail are limited by poor long-term enzyme stability and low reactivity over a broad range of temperatures. To obtain a better enzyme for OP nerve agent decontamination and to investigate structural factors that influence protein thermostability and thermoactivity, randomly mutated P. furiosus prolidases were prepared by using XL1-red-based mutagenesis and error-prone PCR. An Escherichia coli strain JD1 (λDE3) (auxotrophic for proline [ΔproA] and having deletions in pepQ and pepP dipeptidases with specificity for proline-containing dipeptides) was constructed for screening mutant P. furiosus prolidase expression plasmids. JD1 (λDE3) cells were transformed with mutated prolidase expression plasmids and plated on minimal media supplemented with 50 μM Leu-Pro as the only source of proline. By using this positive selection, Pyrococcus prolidase mutants with improved activity over a broader range of temperatures were isolated. The activities of the mutants over a broad temperature range were measured for both Xaa-Pro dipeptides and OP nerve agents, and the thermoactivity and thermostability of the mutants were determined.     

Brain Morphological Defects in Prolidase Deficient Mice: First Report

Prolidase gene (PEPD) encodes prolidase enzyme, which is responsible for hydrolysis of dipeptides containing proline or hydroxypro-line at their C-terminal end. Mutations in PEPD gene cause, in human, prolidase deficiency (PD), a rare autosomal recessive disorder. PD patients show reduced or absent prolidase activity and a broad spectrum of phenotypic traits including various degrees of mental retardation. This is the first report correlating PD and brain damages using as a model system prolidase deficient mice, the so called dark-like (dal) mutant mice. We focused our attention on dal postnatal brain development, revealing a panel of different morphological defects in the cerebral and cerebellar cortices, such as undulations of the cerebral cortex, cell rarefaction, defects in cerebellar cortex lobulation, and blood vessels overgrowth. These anomalies might be ascribed to altered angiogenic process and loss of pial basement membrane integrity. Further studies will be directed to find a correlation between neuroarchitecture alterations and functional consequences.Key words: Mental retardation, prolidase deficiency, postnatal development, CNS alteration, cardiac hypertrophy, extracellular matrix     

人脯氨肽酶活性中心结构的计算机模拟

氨酰基脯氨酸二肽酶 (脯氨肽酶 )为广泛分布于生物界的细胞内二肽水解酶 .它特异性地水解以脯氨酸或羟脯氨酸为羧基端的二肽 (X Pro) ,而且只对反式肽键有催化活性 .此酶与脯氨酸代谢、胶原蛋白合成及细胞生长有密切关系 .文献报道 ,从Alteromonas细菌中提取的脯氨肽酶有水解梭曼的活性 ,其有机磷酸酐水解酶也有脯氨肽酶活性 .用重组基因表达的人肝脯氨肽酶也同时具有脯氨肽酶活性和水解梭曼的活性 .研究脯氨肽酶活性中心的结构具有重要理论意义和潜在实用价值 .但目前尚无人脯氨肽酶晶体结构的报道 .本文采用蛋白质结构模式识别 (threading)方法对脯氨肽酶的高级结构进行模拟 ,以大肠杆菌甲硫氨酸氨肽酶 (1MAT)为模板 ,模建了人脯氨肽酶C端结构域的空间结构 .通过对模建结构的 3D评估及电荷分布分析 ,对人脯氨肽酶活力中心结构进行了预测 .模建的人脯氨肽酶活性中心位于C端结构域 ,为 6条β折叠围成的一个疏水性口袋 ,外面被 5条α螺旋及一些loop包围 ,活力中心位于疏水结构中央 ,其中有 5个保守氨基酸 ,形成 1个较强的负电荷区 ,周围有 3个较弱的正电荷区域 .实验还发现 ,虽然Mn2 + 或Co2 + 对酶的活性极其重要 ,但对酶蛋白结构的贡献很小 .提示它们可能是在催化反应的电荷转移过程中发挥着重要作用     

Activation and Inhibition of Cerebral Prolidase

Purified of prolidase from calf brain (acetone and [NH4]2SO4 fractionation) separated this enzyme from proteases, leucine aminopeptidase, master dipeptidase, and Gly-Gly dipeptidase. Prolidase was tested with peptidase and protease inhibitors, used at higher levels (35 times or more) than their ID50 for peptidases and proteases. Bacitracin, leupeptin, chymostatin, and antipain had no effect; pepstatin slightly increased activity, and only bestatin was inhibitory. Antibiotics that affect protein synthesis did not inhibit prolidase. Peptides with proline at the NH2 end activated prolidase, whereas those with proline at the carboxyl end inhibited it. Di, tri, and tetra-Pro peptides increased prolidase activity. Thyrotropin-releasing hormone had no effect on prolidase; its analog Pro-His-Pro-NH2 gave high activation and decreased the Km from 20 mM to 1.54 mM. Pro-peptide inhibitors and activators were not themselves split by prolidase. The results indicate influences of specific peptides, for both inhibition and activation, on prolidase activity.     

Iminodipeptiduria: a genetic defect in recycling collagen; a method for determining prolidase in erythrocytes.

A 39-month-old girl was found to have a genetic deficiency of prolidase. This enzyme specifically splits dipeptides with proline or hydroxyproline at the C-terminus. Absence of the enzyme leads to massive urinary excretion of iminodipeptides. Clinical symptoms include some that can be ascribed to collagen defects. Previously we had demonstrated that the efficient recycling of proline by the breakdown and resynthesis of collagen is a normal physiological process. The collagen defects in this condition could result from interference with the normal recycling of collagen.     

来源于超嗜热古菌雅氏火球菌(Pyrococcus yayanosii)CH1耐热耐压脯肽酶的酶学性质研究

【目的】脯肽酶是一种能从二肽(Xaa-Pro)的C末端水解脯氨酸或羟脯氨酸残基的肽酶。对深海来源的雅氏火球菌(Pyrococcus yayanosii) CH1基因组中PYCH_07700基因编码的蛋白Pyprol的体外酶学性质进行研究,以期发现新型脯肽酶。【方法】在小宝岛热球菌(Thermococcus kodakarensis) TS559中异源表达Pyprol。使用二肽Met-Pro作为底物,检测重组蛋白的脯肽酶活性。【结果】Pyprol的最适温度为100 ℃,最适pH为6.0。Pyprol在与Co²⁺结合时活性最高,最适的金属离子浓度为1.2 mmol/L。与P. furiosus来源的脯肽酶Pfprol相比,Pyprol在更宽的pH范围具有活性,并且能够耐受更高浓度的金属离子。Pyprol是耐压蛋白,最适静水压为40 MPa。与常压条件下相比,40 MPa下,Pyprol在40、70和100 ℃均有更高的活性。【结论】来源于深海热液喷口的严格嗜压的超嗜热古菌P. yayanosii CH1的新型脯肽酶Pyprol具有热稳定和耐压特性。     

Human prolidase and prolidase deficiency: an overview on the characterization of the enzyme involved in proline recycling and on the effects of its mutations

Here we summarized what is known at the present about function, structure and effect of mutations in the human prolidase. Among the peptidases, prolidase is the only metalloenzyme that cleaves the iminodipeptides containing a proline or hydroxyproline residue at the C-terminal end. It is relevant in the latest stage of protein catabolism, particularly of those molecules rich in imino acids such as collagens, thus being involved in matrix remodelling. Beside its intracellular functions, prolidase has an antitoxic effect against some organophosphorus molecules, can be used in dietary industry as bitterness reducing agent and recently has been used as target enzyme for specific melanoma prodrug activation. Recombinant human prolidase was produced in prokaryotic and eukaryotic hosts with biochemical properties similar to the endogenous enzyme and represents a valid tool both to better understand the structure and biological function of the enzyme and to develop an enzyme replacement therapy for the prolidase deficiency (PD). Prolidase deficiency is a rare recessive disorder caused by mutations in the prolidase gene and characterized by severe skin lesions. Single amino acid substitutions, exon splicing, deletions and a duplication were described as causative for the disease and are mainly located at highly conserved amino acids in the sequence of prolidase from different species. The pathophysiology of PD is still poorly understood; we offer here a review of the molecular mechanisms so far hypothesized.     

Characterization of Native and Recombinant Forms of an Unusual Cobalt-Dependent Proline Dipeptidase (Prolidase) from the Hyperthermophilic Archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus

Proline dipeptidase (prolidase) was purified from cell extracts of the proteolytic, hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus by multistep chromatography. The enzyme is a homodimer (39.4 kDa per subunit) and as purified contains one cobalt atom per subunit. Its catalytic activity also required the addition of Co²⁺ ions (K_d, 0.24 mM), indicating that the enzyme has a second metal ion binding site. Co²⁺ could be replaced by Mn²⁺ (resulting in a 25% decrease in activity) but not by Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Fe²⁺, Zn²⁺, Cu²⁺, or Ni²⁺. The prolidase exhibited a narrow substrate specificity and hydrolyzed only dipeptides with proline at the C terminus and a nonpolar amino acid (Met, Leu, Val, Phe, or Ala) at the N terminus. Optimal prolidase activity with Met-Pro as the substrate occurred at a pH of 7.0 and a temperature of 100°C. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the purified prolidase was used to identify in the P. furiosus genome database a putative prolidase-encoding gene with a product corresponding to 349 amino acids. This gene was expressed in Escherichia coli and the recombinant protein was purified. Its properties, including molecular mass, metal ion dependence, pH and temperature optima, substrate specificity, and thermostability, were indistinguishable from those of the native prolidase from P. furiosus. Furthermore, the K_m values for the substrate Met-Pro were comparable for the native and recombinant forms, although the recombinant enzyme exhibited a twofold greater V_max value than the native protein. The amino acid sequence of P. furiosus prolidase has significant similarity with those of prolidases from mesophilic organisms, but the enzyme differs from them in its substrate specificity, thermostability, metal dependency, and response to inhibitors. The P. furiosus enzyme appears to be the second Co-containing member (after methionine aminopeptidase) of the binuclear N-terminal exopeptidase family.     

Kinetic and Structural Evidences on Human Prolidase Pathological Mutants Suggest Strategies for Enzyme Functional Rescue

Prolidase is the only human enzyme responsible for the digestion of iminodipeptides containing proline or hydroxyproline at their C-terminal end, being a key player in extracellular matrix remodeling. Prolidase deficiency (PD) is an intractable loss of function disease, characterized by mutations in the prolidase gene. The exact causes of activity impairment in mutant prolidase are still unknown. We generated three recombinant prolidase forms, hRecProl-231delY, hRecProl-E412K and hRecProl-G448R, reproducing three mutations identified in homozygous PD patients. The enzymes showed very low catalytic efficiency, thermal instability and changes in protein conformation. No variation of Mn(II) cofactor affinity was detected for hRecProl-E412K; a compromised ability to bind the cofactor was found in hRecProl-231delY and Mn(II) was totally absent in hRecProl-G448R. Furthermore, local structure perturbations for all three mutants were predicted by in silico analysis. Our biochemical investigation of the three causative alleles identified in perturbed folding/instability, and in consequent partial prolidase degradation, the main reasons for enzyme inactivity. Based on the above considerations we were able to rescue part of the prolidase activity in patients’ fibroblasts through the induction of Heath Shock Proteins expression, hinting at new promising avenues for PD treatment.     

Proline analogue of melphalan as a prolidase-convertible pro-drug in breast cancer MCF-7 cells

Prolidase [E.C.3.4.13.9] is ubiquitously distributed cytosolic egzopeptidase that is known to cleave imido-bond of some low molecular weight compounds coupled to L-proline. Previously we have found that conjugation of antineoplastic drug--melphalan (Mel) with proline (pro) through imido-bond resulted in formation of a good substrate for purified prolidase. Cytosolic location of prolidase in neoplastic cells suggests that proline analogue of melphalan (Mel-pro) may serve as a prolidase convertable pro-drug. We have compared several aspects of pharmacologic actions of Mel and Mel-pro in breast cancer MCF-7 cells. It has been found that Mel-pro is more effectively transported into the MCF-7 cells, evokes higher cytotoxicity, lower antimitotic activity and collagen-inhibiting activity, compared to Mel. The results suggest that targeting of prolidase as a pro-drug-converting enzyme may serve as a potential strategy in pharmacotherapy of breast cancer.     

Nitric oxide regulates prolidase activity by serine/threonine phosphorylation

Prolidase [E.C. 3.4.13.9], a member of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family, is a manganese-dependent cytosolic exopeptidase that cleaves imidodipeptides containing C-terminal proline or hydroxyproline. It plays an important role in collagen metabolism, matrix remodeling and cell growth. Nitric oxide (NO), a versatile signaling molecule, regulates many processes including collagen synthesis and matrix remodeling and, thereby, may modulate angiogenesis, tumor invasiveness, and metastasis. Thus, we considered that prolidase may be an important target of NO regulation. In our study, SIN I and DETA/NO were used as NO donors. Both donors increased prolidase activity in a time-dependent and dose-dependent manner. Prolidase activity increased not only with NO donors but also with endogenous NO in cells transfected with iNOS. The effect of iNOS was abolished by treatment with S-methylisothiourea (SMT), a selective inhibitor of iNOS. However, with either exogenous or endogenous sources of NO, the increase in prolidase activity was not accompanied by increased prolidase expression. Therefore, we suspected phosphorylation of prolidase as a potential mechanism regulating enzyme activation. We observed increased serine/threonine phosphorylation on prolidase protein in cells treated with NO donors and in cells transfected with iNOS. To determinate the pathways that may mediate prolidase induction by NO, we first used 8-Br-cGMP, a cGMP agonist, and found that 8-Br-cGMP strongly and rapidly stimulated prolidase activity accompanied by increased phosphorylation. Rp-8-Br-pCPT-cGMP, an inhibitor of cGMP, reduced NO donor-stimulated prolidase activity to control levels. To test whether the MAPK pathway is involved in this NO-dependent activation, we used an ERK1/2 inhibitor and found that it had no effect on prolidase activity increased by NO donors. These results demonstrate that NO stimulates prolidase activity by increasing serine/threonine phosphorylation through PKG-cGMP pathway, but independent of MAPK and suggest an interaction between inflammatory signaling pathways and regulation of the terminal step of matrix degradation.     

Determination of prolidase activity using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Proline-containing peptides of the X-proline type are cleaved by the dipeptidase prolidase. The classical method of prolidase assay relied on the colorimetric estimation of the liberated proline with ninhydrin using acidic media and heat. This method, however, gave inconsistent results due to the nonspecificity of the ninhydrin color reaction. We report here a method for the detection of the liberated proline using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry. Human sera were incubated with a mixture containing the dipeptide glycyl-proline in Tris-HCl supplemented with manganese at 37 degrees C for 24h. The samples were precipitated with trifluoroacetic acid and centrifuged. An aliquot of the supernatant was mixed with an equal volume of ferulic acid solution. An aliquot from this mixture was spotted on a stainless steel mass spectrometry grid and analyzed using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The activity of the enzyme was determined by the complete disappearance of the glycyl-proline peak with the concomitant appearance of the proline peak and can be expressed in terms of the ratio of the area beneath the proline to the area beneath the glycyl-proline peak. Subjects homozygous for prolidase deficiency had a ratio ranging from 0.006 to 0.04 while obligatory heterozygotes had a ratio ranging from around 1.1 to 2.4. Normal subjects had ratios ranging from 9 to 239. Using this method we have unambiguously identified subjects with homozygous or heterozygous prolidase deficiency. In addition to the advantage of rapid sample preparation time, this method is highly specific, reproducible, and sensitive.     

Purification and characterization of a prolidase from Lactobacillus casei subsp. casei IFPL 731.

A peptidase showing a high level of specificity towards dipeptides of the X-Pro type was purified to homogeneity from the cell extract of Lactobacillus casei subsp. casei IFPL 731. The enzyme was a monomer having a molecular mass of 41 kDa. The pH and temperature optima were 6.5 to 7.5 and 55 degrees C, respectively. Metal chelating agents completely inhibited enzyme activity, indicating that the prolidase was a metalloenzyme. The Michaelis constant (K(m)) and Vmax for several proline-containing dipeptides were determined.