[Detection of dipeptidyl peptidase IV in follicular fluid--initial report].

Aspirates of ovarian follicles were obtained from patients subjected to gynaecologic surgeries. This is the first report of dipeptidyl-peptidase IV (DP IV) activity in human follicular fluid. This enzyme specifically cleaves regulatory important oligo- and polypeptides. Only from peptides with proline or alanine in position P1 of the N-terminal sequence a dipeptide is split off. DP IV activity was measured with glycyl-L-proline p-Nitroanilide as substrate. Levels in a range of 209.8 +/- 57.4 nmol l-1 s-1 were achieved.