Isovalerylcarnitine is a specific activator of calpain of human neutrophils.

Isovalerylcarnitine (IVC) a product of the catabolism of L-leucine, is a potent activator of the Ca2+-dependent proteinase (calpain) of human neutrophils. At concentrations of Ca2+ in the low micromolar range, activation was 12 to 15-fold, and the activity exceeded that observed with millimolar concentrations of Ca2+ in the absence of the activator. Of the acylcarnitine derivatives tested, IVC was most active; D-isovalerylcarnitine was much less effective and palmitylcarnitine was ineffective. IVC did not increase the activity of calpain that was fully activated by an endogenous cytoskeleton-associated activator protein, but at low concentrations of the latter synergistic effects of the two activators were observed. Activation of neutrophil calpain by IVC is fully reversible. Inhibition by calpastatin was also reversed by IVC.