RESUMO
A new metallo-endopeptidase which hydrolyzes atrium natriuretic factor (ANF) has been isolated from human neuroblastoma NB-OK-1 cells. In the present study we show that this metallo-endopeptidase is also present in several other human neuroblastoma cell lines, which include CHP 100, SH-SY5Y, SK-N-BE(2), BE(2)-C and BE(2)M-17. Additionally, we show that this endopeptidase activity is reduced to about 20 per cent of the control during retinoic acid (RA)-induced neuronal differentiation in the RA-sensitive SK-N-BE(2) cells, but not in the RA-resistant BE(2)-M17 cells. This suggests that the inhibition is related to neuronal differentiation and not to a direct effect of 5 microM RA on the enzyme activity. This new enzyme is clearly distinct from neutral endopeptidase (NEP, EC 3.4.24.11) and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE,EC 3.4.15.1), since specific inhibitors for these endopeptidases (10 microM phosphoramidon and 1 mM captopril, respectively) had no effect on their activity. However, this enzyme was inhibited 100 per cent by 10 mM o-phenanthroline showing an inhibitory spectrum similar to that of another novel metallo-endopeptidase recently isolated in our laboratory from Xenopus laevis skin secretion. Although the physiological function of this new enzyme in human neuroblastoma cells is not known at the present time, we suggest that it may participate in inactivation of neuropeptides such as atrium natriuretic factor (ANF), substance P, somatostatin-14 and bradykinin in vivo