1. Effect of beta-casomorphin on neonatal sleep in rats
T Taira, L A Hilakivi, J Aalto, I Hilakivi Peptides. 1990 Jan-Feb;11(1):1-4. doi: 10.1016/0196-9781(90)90101-a.
The effects of bovine beta-casomorphin(1-7) (Tyr-Pro-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro-Ile) on neonatal sleep in rats were studied. The pups received intraperitoneal injections of beta-casomorphin(1-7) (1 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg, 50 mg, or 100 mg/kg) or a corresponding volume of sodium chloride. In any of the doses used, beta-casomorphin(1-7) had no effect on waking. Only 100 mg/kg caused significant changes in sleep: the percentage of quiet state of the total recording time (TRT) increased and the percentage of active sleep decreased. Beta-casomorphin(1-7) did not cause significant respiratory depression. Naloxone pretreatment (1 mg/kg IP) reversed the effects of beta-casomorphin(1-7) on sleep, a finding which suggests that opiate mu-receptors are involved in mediating the sleep effects of beta-casomorphin.
2. In vitro penetration of des-tyrosine1-D-phenylalanine3-beta-casomorphin across the blood-brain barrier
H Stark, J B Van Bree, A G de Boer, U Jaehde, D D Breimer Peptides. 1992 Jan-Feb;13(1):47-51. doi: 10.1016/0196-9781(92)90138-s.
The blood-brain barrier transport and metabolism of the synthetic beta-casomorphin (beta CM) derivative des-tyrosine1-D-phenylalanine3-beta-casomorphin (DT-D-Phe3-beta CM) were investigated using an in vitro model consisting of primary cultures of bovine cerebrovascular endothelial cells. DT-D-Phe3-beta CM was transported across the endothelial monolayer without significant metabolism. The endothelial permeability expressing the transport rate ranged between 1.4 and 2.2 cm x 10(-3)/min and was neither affected by luminal concentration changes (1 nM and 1 microM) nor different after luminal and abluminal administration. The metabolic inhibitor 2-desoxy-D-glucose did not affect the permeability of DT-D-Phe3-beta CM. These results suggest that DT-D-Phe3-beta CM is able to cross the blood-brain barrier by paracellular transport without using a carrier system.
3. The purification and characterisation of novel dipeptidyl peptidase IV-like activity from bovine serum
Seamus J Buckley, Patrick J Collins, Brendan F O'Connor Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2004 Jul;36(7):1281-96. doi: 10.1016/j.biocel.2003.02.001.
The discovery of a potentially novel proline-specific peptidase from bovine serum is presented which is capable of cleaving the dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPIV) substrate Gly-Pro-MCA. The enzyme was isolated and purified with the use of Phenyl Sepharose Hydrophobic Interaction, Sephacryl S-300 Gel Filtration, and Q-Sephacryl Anion Exchange, producing an overall purification factor of 257. SDS PAGE resulted in a monomeric molecular mass of 158kDa while size exclusion chromatography generated a native molecular mass of 328kDa. The enzyme remained active over a broad pH range with a distinct preference for a neutral pH range of 7-8.5. Chromatofocusing and isoelectric focusing (IEF) revealed the enzyme's isoelectric point to be 4.74. DPIV-like activity was not inhibited by serine protease inhibitors but was by the metallo-protease inhibitors, the phenanthrolines. The enzyme was also partially inhibited by bestatin. Substrate specificity studies proved that the enzyme is capable of sequential cleavage of bovine beta-Casomorphin and Substance P. The peptidase cleaved the standard DPIV substrate, Gly-Pro-MCA with a K(M) of 38.4 microM, while Lys-Pro-MCA was hydrolysed with a K(M) of 103 microM. The DPIV-like activity was specifically inhibited by both Diprotin A and B, non-competitively, generating a K(i) of 1.4 x 10(-4) M for both inhibitors. Ile-Thiazolidide and Ile-Pyrrolidide both inhibited competitively with an inhibition constant of 3.7 x 10(-7) and 7.5 x 10(-7) M, respectively. It is concluded that bovine serum DPIV-like activity share many biochemical properties with DPIV and DPIV-like enzymes but not exclusively, suggesting that the purified peptidase may play an important novel role in bioactive oligopeptide degradation.
