Dipeptidyl-peptidase IV/CD26 (DPP IV) is a cell-surface protease belonging to the prolyloligopeptidase family. It selectively removes the N-terminal dipeptide from peptides with proline or alanine in the second position. Apart from its catalytic activity, it interacts with several proteins, for instance, adenosine deaminase, the HIV gp120 protein, fibronectin, collagen, the chemokine receptor CXCR4, and the tyrosine phosphatase CD45. DPP IV is expressed on a specific set of T lymphocytes, where it is up-regulated after activation. It is also expressed in a variety of tissues, primarily on endothelial and epithelial cells. A soluble form is present in plasma and other body fluids. DPP IV has been proposed as a diagnostic or prognostic marker for various tumors, hematological malignancies, immunological, inflammatory, psychoneuroendocrine disorders, and viral infections. DPP IV truncates many bioactive peptides of medical importance. It plays a role in glucose homeostasis through proteolytic inactivation of the incretins. DPP IV inhibitors improve glucose tolerance and pancreatic islet cell function in animal models of type 2 diabetes and in diabetic patients. The role of DPP IV/CD26 within the immune system is a combination of its exopeptidase activity and its interactions with different molecules. This enables DPP IV/CD26 to serve as a co-stimulatory molecule to influence T cell activity and to modulate chemotaxis. DPP IV is also implicated in HIV-1 entry, malignant transformation, and tumor invasion. Referee: Dr. Albert Adam, Faculté de Pharmace, Université de Montréal, 2900 Blvd. Edouard—Montpetit, CP succursale Centreville, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3J7, Canada

Chemokines coordinate many aspects of leukocyte migration. As chemoattractants they play an important role in the innate and acquired immune response. There is good experimental evidence that N-terminal truncation by secreted or cell surface proteases is a way of modulating chemokine action. The localization of CD26/dipeptidyl peptidase IV on cell surfaces and in biological fluids, its primary specificity, and the type of naturally occurring truncated chemokines are consistent with such a function. We determined the steady-state catalytic parameters for a relevant selection of chemokines (CCL3b, CCL5, CCL11, CCL22, CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCL11, and CXCL12) previously reported to alter their chemotactic behavior due to CD26/dipeptidyl peptidase IV-catalyzed truncation. The results reveal a striking selectivity for stromal cell-derived factor-1alpha (CXCL12) and macrophage-derived chemokine (CCL22). The kinetic parameters support the hypothesis that CD26/dipeptidyl peptidase IV contributes to the degradation of certain chemokines in vivo. The data not only provide insight into the selectivity of the enzyme for specific chemokines, but they also contribute to the general understanding of CD26/dipeptidyl peptidase IV secondary substrate specificity.

Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV, EC 3.4.14.5) is a serine type protease with an important modulatory activity on a number of chemokines, neuropeptides and peptide hormones. It is also known as CD26 or adenosine deaminase (ADA; EC 3.5.4.4) binding protein. DPPIV has been demonstrated on the plasmamembranes of T cells and activated natural killer or B cells as well as on a number of endothelial and differentiated epithelial cells. A soluble form of CD26/DPPIV has been described in serum. Over the past few years, several related enzymes with similar dipeptidyl peptidase activity have been discovered, raising questions on the molecular origin(s) of serum dipeptidyl peptidase activity. Among them attractin, the human orthologue of the mouse mahogany protein, was postulated to be responsible for the majority of the DPPIV‐like activity in serum. Using ADA‐affinity chromatography, it is shown here that 95% of the serum dipeptidyl peptidase activity is associated with a protein with ADA‐binding properties. The natural protein was purified in milligram quantities, allowing molecular characterization (N‐terminal sequence, glycosylation type, CD‐spectrum, pH and thermal stability) and comparison with CD26/DPPIV from other sources. The purified serum enzyme was confirmed as CD26.

Chemokines are key players in inflammation and infection. Natural forms of the C-X-C chemokine granulocyte chemotactic protein-2 (GCP-2) and the C-C chemokine regulated on activation normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES), which miss two NH₂-terminal residues, including a Pro in the penultimate position, have been isolated from leukocytes or tumor cells. In chemotaxis and intracellular calcium mobilization assays, the truncation caused a reduction in the specific activity of RANTES but not of GCP-2. The serine protease CD26/dipeptidyl-peptidase IV (CD26/DPP IV) could induce this observed NH₂-terminal truncation of GCP-2 and RANTES but not that of the monocyte chemotactic proteins MCP-1, MCP-2 and MCP-3. No significant difference in neutrophil activation was detected between intact and CD26/DPP IV-truncated GCP-2. In contrast to intact natural RANTES(1–68), which still chemoattracts monocytes at 10 ng/ml, CD26/DPP IV-truncated RANTES(3–68) was inactive at 300 ng/ml and behaved as a natural chemotaxis inhibitor. Compared with intact RANTES, only a 10-fold higher concentration of RANTES(3–68) induced a significant Ca²⁺ response. Furthermore, RANTES(3–68) inhibited infection of mononuclear cells by an M-tropic HIV-1 strain 5-fold more efficiently than intact RANTES. Thus, proteolytic processing of RANTES by CD26/DPP IV may constitute an important regulatory mechanism during anti-inflammatory and antiviral responses.