Modulation of a novel thermolysin-like metallo-endopeptidase activity during retinoic acid-induced differentiation of human neuroectodermal tumor cell lines.

Neuroectodermal tumours express hormones which are post-translationally processed and inactivated by the action of specific proteases and peptidases. The data reported here show the presence of a novel thermolysin-like metallo-endopeptidase activity in several human cell lines. The soluble fractions of neuroblastoma, melanoma and a glioblastoma tumour cell lines are able, with different degrees, to cleave the Ser12-Phe13 bond of a DVDERDVRGFAS decreases FLNH2 substrate. The inhibition pattern suggests a metallo-endopeptidase thermolysin-like character, with the involvement of thiol group(s), clearly distinct from neutral endopeptidase (NEP; EC 3.4.24.11). This metallo-endopeptidase activity is down regulated 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, suggesting that the down regulation is related to neuronal differentiation and not a direct effect of RA on the enzymatic activity.