Thimet oligopeptidase and the stability of MHC class I epitopes in macrophage cytosol

In this study we investigated the fate of a class of proteasome-generated oligopeptides, exposing them to the crude cytosol of macrophages or to the purified recombinant thimet oligopeptidase. Among the proteasome products of known sequences are MHC class I epitopes, 13 of which were randomly chosen to be used as putative substrates. Surprisingly, our results clearly showed that the majority of the peptides were poorly or not degraded, either by the purified enzyme or by the crude macrophage cytosol. The peptides, which were resistant to hydrolysis, displayed high affinity for the thimet oligopeptidase as competitive inhibitors. Regardless of the fact that our data do not allow prediction of whether or not a specific peptide would be degraded, it seems very likely that the structural features, which rule out the stability of the MHC class I peptides in the cytosol, may have implications in an optimized repertoire selection for antigen presentation.     

Thimet oligopeptidase (EC 3.4.24.15), a novel protein on the route of MHC class I antigen presentation

The initial processing of antigens leading to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I antigenic peptides is carried out by the proteasome. However, how the final epitopes are generated and protected from degradation by cytosolic peptidases remains unknown. Coincidentally, peptides associated with the MHC class I molecules range from 8 to 13 amino acid residues, similarly to the optimum substrate size required for the cytosolic thimet oligopeptidase. Here we have investigated the putative intracellular function of thimet oligopeptidase related to antigen presentation. Using a well-characterized antigen-presenting cell system, we were able to demonstrate either inhibition or stimulation of CD8 T cell proliferation and cytotoxicity, manipulating intracellular thimet oligopeptidase levels with its specific inhibitor cFP-Ala-Ala-Tyr-pAb or loading the enzyme itself into the antigen-presenting cells. Our results suggest that thimet oligopeptidase should take an important function in the pathway of antigen presentation via MHC class I through a mechanism yet unknown.     

Cattle tick Boophilus microplus salivary gland contains a thiol-activated metalloendopeptidase displaying kininase activity

This work reports on the characterization of a metalloendopeptidase kininase present in Boophilus microplus salivary glands. Using the guinea pig ileum assay, salivary gland whole extracts (SGE) were found to have a potent kininase activity. Ion-exchange chromatography separated two kininase activities from SGE. The major enzymatic component, eluted at lower ionic strength, was named BooKase (Boophilus Kininase). Analysis of the hydrolysis products by capillary electrophoresis identified Phe5-Ser6 as the only hydrolyzable peptide bond in bradykinin after BooKase treatment. This is the same specificity as the mammalian thimet oligoendopeptidase (EC 3.4.24.15). Like this enzyme, BooKase is also a metallo-peptidase (requires Mn2+) and is activated by-SH protecting reagents. In addition, BooKase was partially inhibited by cFP-AAF-pAB, a specific inhibitor of thimet oligopeptidase. Contrary to other kininases, BooKase had no activity upon angiontensin I. Our results show that BooKase behaves as a typical peptidase with kinase activity.     

Biochemical and pharmacological aspects of two bradykinin-potentiating peptides obtained from tryptic hydrolysis of casein

Peptides that display bradykinin-potentiating activity have been obtained from a number of distinct sources, such as snake venoms, fibrinogen, and casein. This paper describes the characterization of two new peptides generated by tryptic hydrolysis of casein. No homology was found with other known vasoactive or vasopotentiating peptides, especially by the lack of Ile-Pro-Pro motif. The peptides EMPFPK and YPVEPFTE, corresponding to the gamma casein sequence (108-113 and 114-121, respectively), displayed a selective potentiating activity on isolated guinea pig ileum for bradykinin. Besides, the octapeptide YPVEPFTE showed an in vitro competitive inhibitor effect on angiotensin-converting enzyme and thimet oligopeptidase and presented an opiate-like activity, increasing two times the latence time in the hot-plate assay. The results suggest that the isolated bioactive peptides act on conversion and/or inactivation of endogenous peptides by enzymes such as angiotensin-converting enzyme and thimet oligopeptidase by modifying several systemic responses such as blood-pressure regulation and in pain response.     

Neuropeptidases regulating gonadal function

The generation and metabolism of bioactive peptides involves a series of highly ordered proteolytic events. This post-translational processing can occur either within the cell, at the cell surface or after secretion. In the central nervous system a number of extracellular peptidases have been implicated in the regulated processing of peptides, particularly in the regulation of neuroendocrine function. The aim of this study has been to identify the peptidases involved in the metabolism of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and to characterize the factors and the mechanisms by which the activity of these peptidases are regulated. We have shown that both prolylendopeptidase and the thimet oligopeptidase EC 3.4. 24.15 are involved in GnRH metabolism and that both oestrogen and thiol-based reductants could be involved in the physiological regulation of their activities.     

Mapping sequence differences between thimet oligopeptidase and neurolysin implicates key residues in substrate recognition

The highly homologous endopeptidases thimet oligopeptidase and neurolysin are both restricted to short peptide substrates and share many of the same cleavage sites on bioactive and synthetic peptides. They sometimes target different sites on the same peptide, however, and defining the determinants of differential recognition will help us to understand how both enzymes specifically target a wide variety of cleavage site sequences. We have mapped the positions of the 224 surface residues that differ in sequence between the two enzymes onto the surface of the neurolysin crystal structure. Although the deep active site channel accounts for about one quarter of the total surface area, only 11% of the residue differences map to this region. Four isolated sequence changes (R470/E469, R491/M490, N496/H495, and T499/R498; neurolysin residues given first) are well positioned to affect recognition of substrate peptides, and differences in cleavage site specificity can be largely rationalized on the basis of these changes. We also mapped the positions of three cysteine residues believed to be responsible for multimerization of thimet oligopeptidase, a process that inactivates the enzyme. These residues are clustered on the outside of one channel wall, where multimerization via disulfide formation is unlikely to block the substrate-binding site. Finally, we mapped the regulatory phosphorylation site in thimet oligopeptidase to a location on the outside of the molecule well away from the active site, which indicates this modification has an indirect effect on activity.     

Swapping the substrate specificities of the neuropeptidases neurolysin and thimet oligopeptidase

Thimet oligopeptidase (EC 3.4.24.15) and neurolysin (EC 3.4.24.16) are closely related zinc-dependent metallopeptidases that metabolize small bioactive peptides. They cleave many substrates at the same sites, but they recognize different positions on others, including neurotensin, a 13-residue peptide involved in modulation of dopaminergic circuits, pain perception, and thermoregulation. On the basis of crystal structures and previous mapping studies, four sites (Glu-469/Arg-470, Met-490/Arg-491, His-495/Asn-496, and Arg-498/Thr-499; thimet oligopeptidase residues listed first) in their substrate-binding channels appear positioned to account for differences in specificity. Thimet oligopeptidase mutated so that neurolysin residues are at all four positions cleaves neurotensin at the neurolysin site, and the reverse mutations in neurolysin switch hydrolysis to the thimet oligopeptidase site. Using a series of constructs mutated at just three of the sites, it was determined that mutations at only two (Glu-469/Arg-470 and Arg-498/Thr-499) are required to swap specificity, a result that was confirmed by testing the two-mutant constructs. If only either one of the two sites is mutated in thimet oligopeptidase, then the enzyme cleaves almost equally at the two hydrolysis positions. Crystal structures of both two-mutant constructs show that the mutations do not perturb local structure, but side chain conformations at the Arg-498/Thr-499 position differ from those of the mimicked enzyme. A model for differential recognition of neurotensin based on differences in surface charge distribution in the substrate binding sites is proposed. The model is supported by the finding that reducing the positive charge on the peptide results in cleavage at both hydrolysis sites.     

Modification of presynaptic CaM kinase II affinity for ATP in hippocampus after long term blockade of serotonin reuptake

Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is markedly enriched at synapses, where it is involved in the control of synaptic transmission, transmitter release and synaptic plasticity. CaMKII has also been found to be involved in the long-term action of antidepressants on post-receptor signaling mechanisms, because monoamine reuptake inhibitors induced an increase in autophosphorylation and activity of the kinase in nerve terminals of hippocampus. To study whether changes in the amount of enzyme or kinetic changes, due to posttranslational modifications, are responsible for kinase activation in nerve terminals, alpha-CaMKII level and kinetic constants of the autophosphorylation reaction as a function of ATP concentration were measured in presynaptic cytosol from hippocampus. Treatment with two serotonin reuptake inhibitors did not change the level of presynaptic kinase or the Vmax of autophosphorylation reaction. Instead the Km of the kinase for ATP was decreased 2.8-fold with fluvoxamine and 3.5-fold with paroxetine, implying an increase in the affinity for ATP. This result represents the first finding of changes in kinetic constants of a major brain enzyme after treatment with antidepressant drugs.     

Subunit structure and autophosphorylation mechanism of casein kinase-TS (type-2) from rat liver cytosol

Type-2 casein kinase-TS (Ck-TS) purified to homogeneity from rat liver cytosol exhibits a molecular mass of 130000 daltons in non-denaturating media and a subunit composition consistent with an alpha 2 beta 2 heterotetramer. The quaternary structure of Ck-TS is not compromised by limited proteolysis with trypsin which converts the 38-kDa alpha subunit into 36-kDa (alpha') and 34-kDa (alpha") derivatives, inducing a parallel decrease of enzymatic activity. Since the 25-kDa beta subunit is unaffected under comparable conditions, the catalytic activity seemingly resides in the alpha subunits. The beta subunit, on the other hand, undergoes a very rapid phosphorylation upon incubation of Ck-TS with ATP/Mg2+: 0.8-1.5 mol P/mol Ck-TS are incorporated within 30 s. Such a fast autophosphorylation is neither prevented nor slowed down by the addition of a large excess of phosphorylatable substrates and takes place through an intra-molecular rather than inter-molecular process. This conclusion is supported by the following data. (a) The autophosphorylation rate is linearly proportional to the concentration of Ck-TS. (b) Thermally inactivated Ck-TS is not phosphorylated by catalytic amounts of active enzyme. (c) Basic polypeptides like protamine and polylysine stimulate the activity of Ck-TS toward phosphorylatable substrates while preventing the autophosphorylation reaction. Since the effectors that inhibit autophosphorylation also induce a remarkable decrease of the Km values for the protein substrates, the possibility is discussed that autophosphorylation might represent a regulatory device by which Ck-TS could be converted into a partially inactivated form exhibiting reduced affinity toward its endogenous targets.     

Major histocompatibility complex class I-presented antigenic peptides are degraded in cytosolic extracts primarily by thimet oligopeptidase

Nearly all peptides generated by proteasomes during protein degradation are digested rapidly to amino acids, but a few proteasomal products escape this fate and are presented to the immune system on cell surface major histocompatibility complex class I molecules. To test whether these antigenic peptides may be inherently resistant to cytosolic peptidases, six different antigenic peptides were incubated with HeLa cell extracts. All six were degraded rapidly by a process involving o-phenanthroline-sensitive metallopeptidases. One antigenic peptide, FAPGNYPAL, was rapidly destroyed in the extracts by a bestatin-sensitive exopeptidase, apparently by the puromycin-sensitive aminopeptidase. The disappearance of the other five was reduced 30-90% by a specific inhibitor of the cytosolic endopeptidase, thimet oligopeptidase (TOP) (EC ), whose physiological function(s) have been unclear and controversial. All these peptides were sensitive to pure recombinant TOP. Furthermore, upon fractionation of the extracts, the major peptidase peak that degraded the ovalbumin-derived epitope, SIINFEKL, co-purified with TOP. In the extracts, TOP also catalyzed rapid degradation of N-extended variants of SIINFEKL and of other antigenic peptides, which in vivo can serve as precursors of these major histocompatibility complex-presented epitopes. This enzyme (unlike cell proteins that promote production of antigenic peptides) is not regulated by interferon-gamma. TOP seems to be primarily responsible for the rapid breakdown of antigenic peptides in cytosolic extracts, and our related studies (A. X. Y. Mo, K. Lemerise, W. Zeng, Y. Shen, C. R. Abraham, A. L. Goldberg, and K. L. Rock, submitted for publication) indicate that TOP by destroying such peptides limits antigen presentation in vivo.     

Inter- and intramolecular interactions of highly purified Rous sarcoma virus-transforming protein, pp60v-src

We have purified intact pp60v-src, the product of the Rous sarcoma virus src gene, over 2400-fold, based on the phosphorylation of tumor-bearing rabbit IgG. The purification procedure involved detergent extraction of the particulate fraction of the cells and sequential chromatography on hydroxylapatite, butyl agarose, DEAE-Sephacel, ADP-agarose, and Sephacryl S-200. Analysis of the preparation by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed a single silver-stained band with an apparent molecular weight of 60,000. Our results show that the activities of this preparation were qualitatively similar to those described previously for partially purified pp60v-src. Upon analysis by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, the purified pp60v-src yielded one major species which migrated to the same position as the least acidic of the three major species detectable in cellular lysates, suggesting that the pp60v-src had been dephosphorylated during the purification procedure. We found that pp60v-src was very prone to aggregation; to maintain it as a monomer both Nonidet P-40 and KCl were required. Under conditions which maintained pp60v-src as a monomer, the rate of autophosphorylation was independent of its concentration and thus proceeded via an intramolecular process. Preincubation of pp60v-src with ATP or GTP as well as nonphosphorylating analogs of ATP or GTP preserved its phosphorylating activity toward alpha-casein whereas its activity was reduced 80% upon preincubation in the absence of nucleotides. We suggest that protection with nucleotides rather than autophosphorylation accounts for the apparent increase in the activity of pp60v-src after incubation of the enzyme with ATP.     

Autophosphorylation-dependent inactivation of plant chimeric calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase.

Chimeric calcium/calmodulin dependent protein kinase (CCaMK) is characterized by the presence of a visinin-like Ca(2+)-binding domain unlike other known calmodulin- dependent kinases. Ca(2+)-Binding to the visinin-like domain leads to autophosphorylation and changes in the affinity for calmodulin [Sathyanarayanan P.V., Cremo C.R. & Poovaiah B.W. (2000) J. Biol. Chem. 275, 30417-30422]. Here, we report that the Ca(2+)-stimulated autophosphorylation of CCaMK results in time-dependent loss of enzyme activity. This time-dependent loss of activity or self-inactivation due to autophosphorylation is also dependent on reaction pH and ATP concentration. Inactivation of the enzyme resulted in the formation of a sedimentable enzyme due to self-association. Specifically, autophosphorylation in the presence of 200 microm ATP at pH 7.5 resulted in the formation of a sedimentable enzyme with a 33% loss in enzyme activity. Under similar conditions at pH 6.5, the enzyme lost 67% of its activity and at pH 8.5, 84% enzyme activity was lost. Furthermore, autophosphorylation at either acidic or alkaline reaction pH lead to the formation of a sedimentable enzyme. Transmission electron microscopic studies on autophosphorylated kinase revealed particles that clustered into branched complexes. The autophosphorylation of wild-type kinase in the presence of AMP-PNP (an unhydrolyzable ATP analog) or the autophosphorylation-site mutant, T267A, did not show formation of branched complexes under the electron microscope. Autophosphorylation- dependent self-inactivation may be a mechanism of modulating the signal transduction pathway mediated by CCaMK.     

Purification and characterization of a rat liver membrane tyrosine-protein kinase, the possible protooncogene c-yes product, p60c-yes

A tyrosine-protein kinase was purified more than 270-fold from the rat liver plasma membrane fraction by successive column chromatographies on Sephacryl S-300, wheat germ agglutinin-agarose, casein-Sepharose, and hydroxylapatite, followed by isoelectrofocusing electrophoresis. The enzyme with pI of 6.2 was a 60-kDa single polypeptide which represented 42% of total protein. The enzyme reacted quantitatively with a monoclonal antibody to the amino-terminal sequence (Cys-3 to Ser-66) specific to the human c-yes protein, but not with antibodies to the specific amino-terminal sequences of the c-src, fyn, and lck proteins. The purified enzyme contained almost no phosphotyrosine residue but was autophosphorylated with Mg.ATP exclusively at tyrosine residues with concomitant increase in the kinase activity. The rates of autophosphorylation of the enzyme and phosphorylation of tyrosine-glutamate (1:4) copolymers, catalyzed by the enzyme were proportional to the square of enzyme concentration, suggesting that p60c-yes undergoes autophosphorylation through intermolecular catalysis, resulting in stimulation of the enzyme activity. Although the enzyme reaction showed an essential requirement for Mg2+ or Mn2+ with optimal concentrations of 20 and 3 mM, respectively, autophosphorylation significantly activated the enzyme only in the presence of Mg2+. Autophosphorylation of the enzyme reduced the Km for tyrosine-glutamate copolymers and tubulin, but not for ATP, and increased the Vmax of copolymer and tubulin phosphorylation.     

Autoactivation of calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II by autophosphorylation

Autophosphorylation of calmodulin (CaM)-dependent protein kinase II (CaM-kinase II) under limiting conditions (2 microM ATP) decreased progressively with increasing concentrations of a substrate, Pro-Leu-Ala-Arg-Thr-Leu-Ser-Val-Ala-Gly-Leu-Pro-Gly-Lys-Lys (syntide-2), suggesting a competition between the substrate and the autophosphorylation site(s) of the enzyme. The rate and extent of the generation of Ca2+/CaM-independent activity of the enzyme by autophosphorylation were also decreased by the presence of syntide-2. The syntide-2 phosphorylation in the presence of Ca2+/CaM under the limiting conditions reached a steady state, after a lag, when the Ca2+/CaM-independent activity reached a plateau. A linear relationship was observed between the activities in the presence and absence of Ca2+/CaM of the enzyme which had undergone various degrees of autophosphorylation, and the extrapolation of activity in the absence of Ca2+/CaM to zero gave 15-20% of the maximum activity. The steady-state rate of syntide-2 phosphorylation in the presence of Ca2+/CaM by the enzyme that had not undergone prior autophosphorylation was decreased by high concentrations of syntide-2 which suppressed autophosphorylation as well as the generation of Ca2+/CaM-independent activity. These results suggest that although the nonautophosphorylated enzyme possesses a basal low level of Ca2+/CaM-dependent activity, autophosphorylation is required for full activation.     

Intracellullar peptides as putative natural regulators of protein interactions

Extralysosomal proteolysis by multicatalytic complexes such as the 26S proteasome produces large amounts of peptides in the cytosol, mitochondria and nuclei of eukaryotic cells, and there is increasing evidence that the resulting free intracellular peptides can modulate specific protein interactions. The demonstration that free peptides added to the intracellular milieu can regulate cellular functions mediated by protein interactions suggests new putative roles for these molecules in gene regulation, metabolism, cell signaling and protein targeting. Such interactions frequently involve specific consensus amino acid sequences that can be predicted based on similarities in domain composition. We have recently developed a new strategy for identifying novel natural peptides, the sequences of which correspond to fragments of intracellular proteins and contain putative post-translational modification sites. In this review, we examine the evidence that intracellular peptides released by proteasomes may be involved in regulating protein interactions. In particular, the role of endopeptidase 24.15 (thimet oligopeptidase; EC 3.4.24.15) is discussed in detail as this enzyme has been implicated in intracellular peptide metabolism in vivo in concert with the 26S proteasome.     

The role of neuropeptide processing enzymes in endocrine (prostate) cancer: EC 3.4.24.15 (EP24.15)

The zinc metalloendopeptidase EC3.4.24.15 [EP24.15, thimet oligopeptidase], a neuropeptide processing enzyme, is central to the formation and degradation of many bioactive peptides in the neural proteome, and is highly expressed in normal prostate. EP24.15 actions are increased in androgen-dependent prostate cancer compared to androgen-independent; augmented by androgen treatment, and inhibited by clinical GnRH analogs. The "neural" prostate includes: neuropeptides, cognate receptors and processing enzymes regulating signaling of peptide-mediated neural inputs.     

Identification, Characterization, Immunocytochemical Localization, and Developmental Changes in the Activity of Calcium/Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase II in the CNS of Bombyx mori During Postembryonic Development

Abstract: In the present investigation, in vitro phosphorylation of CNS proteins of the silkworm Bombyx mori during the postembryonic development have been studied. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and autoradiography of phosphorylated proteins revealed the presence of major phosphoproteins of 59/60 kDa. Based on molecular mass, calcium/calmodulin-dependent autophosphorylation, substrate specificity, KN-62 inhibition, apparent K _m for ATP and syntide-2, these proteins were identified as calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaM kinase II). Anti-rat CaM kinase II monoclonal antibody showed immunoreactivity with Bombyx CaM kinase II isoforms. This kinase showed a high degree of autophosphorylation in neural tissue. During postembryonic development of Bombyx , two distinct peaks of enzyme activity could be noticed, one at the late-larval and another at the late-pupal stage, which were associated with an increase in amount of the enzyme. These results suggested that the expression of CaM kinase II in the CNS of Bombyx was developmentally regulated.     

Pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures affect the levels of prolyl oligopeptidase, thimet oligopeptidase and glial proteins in rat brain regions, and attenuation by MK-801 pretreatment

The regulatory mechanisms of neuropeptide-metabolizing enzymes often play a critical role in the pathogenesis of neuronal damage. A systemic administration of pentylenetetrazol (PTZ), an antagonist of GABA(A) receptor ion channel binding site, causes generalized epilepsy in an animal model. In the present study, we examined the involvement of prolyl oligopeptidase (POP), thimet oligopeptidase/neurolysin (EP 24.15/16) and glial proteins in PTZ-treated rat brain regions, and the suppressive effect of MK-801, a non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist, pretreatment for their proteins. The activity of POP significantly decreased in the hippocampus at 30min and 3h, and in the frontal cortex at 3h after PTZ treatment, and pretreatment with MK-801 recovered the activity in the cortex at 3h. The activity of EP 24.15/16 significantly decreased in the hippocampus at 3h and 1 day, and in the cortex at 3h after the PTZ administration, whereas pretreatment with MK-801 recovered the change of the activity. The Western blot analysis of EP 24.15 showed significant decrease of the protein level in the hippocampus 3h after the PTZ treatment, whereas pretreatment with MK-801 recovered. The expression of GFAP and CD11b immunohistochemically increased in the hippocampus of the PTZ-treated rat as compared with controls. Pretreatment with MK-801 also recovered the GFAP and CD11b expression. These data suggest that PTZ-induced seizures of the rats cause indirect activation of glutamate NMDA receptors, then decrease POP and EP 24.15/16 enzyme activities and EP 24.15 immunoreactivity in the neuronal cells of the hippocampal formation. We speculate that changes of those peptidases in the brain may be related to the levels of the neuropeptides regulating PTZ-induced seizures.     

The stimulus-secretion coupling of glucose-induced insulin release. Fasting-induced adaptation of key glycolytic enzymes in isolated islets.

The rate of glucose and fructose 6-phosphate phosphorylation in islet homogenates is reduced by prior fasting of the donor rats. In fed rats, the velocity of glucose phosphorylation at increasing glucose concentrations (0.1 to 100 mM) is compatible with the presence of two enzyme activities. A preferential effect of fasting upon the high Km enzyme activity can be documented either at low ATP concentration which enhances the fractional contribution of the high Km enzyme activity, or in the presence of glucose 6-phosphate, which suppresses the low Km enzyme activity. Islet phosphofructokinase activity was characterized by inhibition by citrate or high ATP concentrations, and relief from ATP inhibition by AMP. Fasting reduces the activity of phosphofructokinase without altering its sensitivity to ATP and AMP. Cyclic AMP fails to overcome the effect of fasting upon phosphofructokinase. The activity of phosphoglucoisomerase is unaffected by fasting. The fasting-induced adaptation of key glycolytic enzymes could account, in part at least, for reduced metabolism of glucose in islets from fasted rats.