Human cytosolic carnosinase: evidence of identity with prolinase, a non-specific dipeptidase.

In separate papers published in 1985, human cytosolic carnosinase and prolinase were purified and characterized for the first time. Prolinase had activity against many dipeptides not containing proline; carnosinase also had broad specificity. The present paper reports that carnosinase and prolinase activities were not separated from one another during chromatography on columns of DEAE-cellulose, AGMP-1, gel filtration media, hydroxylapatite or butyl-agarose. Both activities had identical pH-stability curves at 50 degrees C, being stabilized by manganese ions and dithiothreitol. Prolinase substrates competitively inhibited carnosinase activity and carnosinase substrates inhibited prolinase activity. Bestatin was a potent inhibitor of both activities, while cilastatin inhibited neither. It was concluded that prolinase and carnosinase activities reside in the same enzyme. High performance anion-exchange chromatography of extracts from kidney, liver or brain separated the enzyme into two forms having isoelectric points of 5.6 and 5.1. Because of the broad specificity of this dipeptidase, it is recommended that it be termed "human cytosolic non-specific dipeptidase".