Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.4.24.27 (thermolysin)
 1,894 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Neprilysin (EC 3.4.24.11) is a Zn2+ metallopeptidase involved in the degradation of biologically active peptides, e.g. enkephalins and atrial natriuretic peptide. The substrate specificity and catalytic activity of neprilysin resemble those of thermolysin, a crystallized bacterial Zn2+ metalloprotease. Despite little overall homology between the primary structures of thermolysin and neprilysin, many of the amino acid residues involved in catalysis, as well as Zn2+ and substrate binding, are highly conserved. Most of the active-site residues of neprilysin have their homologues in thermolysin and have been characterized by site-directed mutagenesis. Furthermore, hydrophobic cluster analysis has revealed some other analogies between the neprilysin and thermolysin sequences [Benchetrit, Bissery, Mornon, Devault, Crine and Roques (1988) Biochemistry 27, 592-596]. According to this analysis the role of Asn542 in the neprilysin active site is analogous to that of Asn112 of thermolysin, which is to bind the substrate. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to change Asn542 to Gly or Gln residues. The effect of these mutations on substrate catalysis and inhibitor binding was examined with a series of thiorphan-like compounds containing various degrees of methylation at the P2' residue. For both mutated enzymes, determination of kinetic parameters with [D-Ala2,Leu5]enkephalin as substrate showed that the large decrease in activity was attributable to an increase in Km (14-16-fold) whereas kcat values were only slightly affected (2-3-fold decrease). This is in agreement with Asn542 being involved in substrate binding rather than directly in catalysis. Finally, the IC50 values for thiorphan and substituted thiorphans strongly suggest that Asn542 of neprilysin binds the substrate on the amino side of the P2' residue by formation of a unique hydrogen bond.
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PMID:Evidence that Asn542 of neprilysin (EC 3.4.24.11) is involved in binding of the P2' residue of substrates and inhibitors. 748 5

The design and preparation of ortho-substituted benzofused macrocyclic lactams are described. The benzofused macrocyclic lactams were designed as neutral endopeptidase 24.11 (NEP) inhibitors. Docking studies were carried out in a model of thermolysin (TLN) using the MACROMODEL and QXP modeling programs to select suitable ring sizes. These studies predicted that the 11-, 12-, and 13-membered ring macrocyclic lactams would be active in both enzymes TLN and NEP. Good predictability of experimental results, within this series, of binding to thermolysin and to a lesser extent to NEP was observed. A visual comparison, docked at the active site of TLN, is presented for thiorphan, a 10-membered ring macrocycle and an 11-membered ring benzofused macrocyclic lactam. Potent inhibition of both NEP and thermolysin was obtained. The 11-membered ring macrocycle 25a is the most potent inhibitor from this series of compounds (TLN IC50 = 68 nM; NEP IC50 = 0.9 nM). The effects of prodrug 44b administered at 10 mg/kg po on plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) levels in conscious rats was greater than 200% over a 4 h period.
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PMID:Ortho-substituted benzofused macrocyclic lactams as zinc metalloprotease inhibitors. 904 40

Mammalian cell-surface peptidases participate in the postsecretory processing and metabolism of neuropeptides and peptide hormones. Neutral endopeptidase-24.11 (NEP) is the prototype of a family of zinc metallopeptidases that also includes the endothelin-converting enzymes (ECE) and which are structurally related to the bacterial enzymes thermolysin and lactococcal endopeptidase. Two other mammalian gene products exhibit strong homology with NEP: the erythrocyte cell-surface antigen, KELL; and the putative product of the PEX gene, which has been associated with X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets. No enzymic activity has yet been attributed to KELL and PEX proteins, and they remain peptidases in search of a substrate. A wide range of biologically active peptide substrates has been described for NEP, of which the enkephalins and the atrial natriuretic peptide family have assumed greatest significance. Endothelin-converting enzyme catalyses the final step in the biosynthesis of the vasoconstrictor peptide, endothelin (ET). Like NEP, it is a type II integral membrane protein, but is expressed predominantly in endothelial cells. Isoforms of ECE (ECE-1alpha, ECE-1beta, and ECE-2) exist that differ in a number of characteristics. In particular, ECE-1, through the paracrine effects of ET-1, may contribute to the proliferation of smooth muscle after angioplasty and to the development of human atherosclerosis. Inhibitors of ECE and NEP may have important therapeutic applications in cardiovascular and renal medicine.
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PMID:Mammalian membrane metallopeptidases: NEP, ECE, KELL, and PEX. 914 2

Arterial tone and water-electrolyte homeostasis are regulated by several peptides, including angiotensin II (AII), bradykinin (BK), atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and endothelins (ETs). Changing the concentrations of these peptides in the plasma, tissue, or urine by decreasing the levels of angiotensin II and endothelins and increasing BK and ANP concentrations, is one way of modulating the hemodynamic load. The metabolism of these peptides in essentially controlled by three enzymes, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), neutral endopeptidase (NEP), and endothelin converting enzyme (ECE), which all belong to the group of zinc metallopeptidases. Inhibition of these peptidases by a single compound (a dual inhibitor) that inhibits at once angiotensin II formation and BK and ANP inactivation, causes vasodilatation with reduction in blood pressure with reduction in blood pressure and increases natriuresis. The design of these inhibitors has often be relied on structure-activity studies, based on active-site models derived from structural data on thermolysin (TLN). The results of a large number of pharmacological experiments and those issued from some clinical studies using selective or mixed inhibitors show that in spontaneously hypertensive rats, dual ACE/NEP inhibitors such as S21,402 produce dose-related decreases (-15 to -40 mmHg) in mean arterial pressure and reductions in left ventricular hypertrophy and cardiac size. These compounds produce also an increase in urinary levels of BK, ANP and cGMP associated with enhanced urine output and sodium excretion. Moreover inhibition of NEP appears to improve the cardio- and reno-protective effects resulting from ACE inhibition and could also reduce hypertrophy of vascular walls. Inhibition of ECE seems to result in a weak reduction in blood pressure, an effect which could be emphasized by using dual ECE/ACE or ECE/NEP inhibitors. According to these results mixed dual inhibitors could be of great interest for the treatment of severe hypertension and chronic heart failure. Potent triple inhibitors blocking ACE, NEP and ECE could also be developed.
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PMID:Cell surface metallopeptidases involved in blood pressure regulation: structure, inhibition and clinical perspectives. 976 15