Title:Pathophysiological Implications of Dipeptidyl Peptidases
Volume: 18
Issue: 8
Author(s): Akira Sato and Hisakazu Ogita*
Affiliation:
- Division of Molecular Medical Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Shiga 520-2192,Japan
Keywords:
Dipeptidyl peptidase, bioactive peptides, angiotensin, hypertension, metabolic disease, immune regulation.
Abstract: Dipeptidyl peptidases (DPPs) belong to one of the protease families classified under EC
3.4.14 in the Nomenclature Committee of the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
DPPs family consists of eight members in the mammalian species. They play a role in oligopeptide
N-terminal processing and degradation of bioactive peptides. Over the past 20 years, most of the studies
have been focused on DPP 4 that has important roles in metabolism and immunity. A large number of
pharmacological inhibitors against DPP 4 have been tested rigorously and some of them are now used in
the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity. In addition, current researches cast a spotlight on other
physiological and pathological functions of DPP family members such as DPP 3 for the purpose of investigating
their application as novel therapeutic compounds. In this review, we provide an update about
the pathophysiological functions of DPPs, and discuss the future potential of the DPP family as pharmacological
and therapeutic agents and targets.