Dexamethasone induced enhanced enkephalin degradation by angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) of endothelial cells.

The Leu-enkephalin breakdown by ectopeptidases of cultivated endothelial cells is increased in a concentration-dependent manner by dexamethasone treatment. This glucocorticoid induced selectively the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) of the cells. The activity of the closely related enzyme neutral metalloenopeptidase (NEP) and the aminopeptidase N (APN) also present on the endothelial cell surface were not affected or slightly decreased by dexamethasone. The data indicate the significance of ACE for degradation of Leu-enkephalin during the stress reaction.