Role of dipeptidyl peptidase IV in uptake of peptide nitrogen from beta-casomorphin in rabbit renal BBMV.

We examined the handling of radiolabeled beta-casomorphin, Tyr-Pro-[3H]Phe-Pro-Gly, by rabbit renal brush-border membrane vesicles (BBMV). The uptake of radiolabel into the vesicles was Na+-independent, but an inward-directed H+ gradient stimulated the uptake. The H+ gradient-dependent uptake was further accelerated by an interior-negative membrane potential, but inhibited in the presence of a protonophore. Treatment of the membrane vesicles with diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP) greatly reduced the uptake of the radiolabel. Control as well as DFP-treated vesicles exhibited H+ gradient-dependent Gly-Sar uptake. Unlabeled beta-casomorphin inhibited Gly-Sar uptake in control vesicles, but the inhibition was significantly reduced in DFP-treated vesicles. DFP inhibited the activity of dipeptidyl peptidase IV in these vesicles and there was a direct correlation between the activity of the enzyme and the capacity of beta-casomorphin to inhibit Gly-Sar uptake. Many di- and tripeptides reduced the uptake of Gly-Sar and the uptake of radiolabel from beta-[3H]casomorphin to a similar extent. We conclude that beta-casomorphin is hydrolyzed by dipeptidyl peptidase IV and the products are transported into the vesicles by the H+ gradient-driven peptide transport system. This conclusion is supported by the results from the analysis of the incubation medium by high-performance liquid chromatography that showed rapid hydrolysis of the pentapeptide by brush-border membranes to di- and tripeptides.