An exopeptidase inhibitor is a
drug
A drug is any chemical substance that causes a change in an organism's physiology or psychology when consumed. Drugs are typically distinguished from food and substances that provide nutritional support. Consumption of drugs can be via insuffla ...
that
inhibits one or more
exopeptidase enzymes. Exopeptidases are one of two types of
proteases (enzymes that break down
proteins and
peptides), the other being
endopeptidases. Exopeptidases cleave
peptide bond
In organic chemistry, a peptide bond is an amide type of covalent chemical bond linking two consecutive alpha-amino acids from C1 (carbon number one) of one alpha-amino acid and N2 (nitrogen number two) of another, along a peptide or protein cha ...
s of terminal
amino acids, resulting in the release of a single amino acid or
dipeptide from the peptide chain, whereas endoeptidases break non-terminal bonds (that is, they cut proteins/peptides into two chains).
Some examples of exopeptidase inhibitors include
amastatin,
bestatin (ubenimex),
puromycin,
1,10-phenanthroline
1,10-Phenanthroline (phen) is a heterocyclic organic compound. It is a white solid that is soluble in organic solvents. The 1,10 refer to the location of the nitrogen atoms that replace CH's in the hydrocarbon called phenanthrene.
Abbreviated ...
,
D-phenylalanine,
ACE inhibitor
Angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors) are a class of medication used primarily for the treatment of hypertension, high blood pressure and heart failure. They work by causing relaxation of blood vessels as well as a decrease i ...
s,
DPP-4 inhibitor
Inhibitors of dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4 inhibitors or gliptins) are a class of oral hypoglycemics that block the enzyme dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4). They can be used to treat diabetes mellitus type 2.
The first agent of the class – sitag ...
s, and
exogenous MMP inhibitors like
batimastat
Batimastat (mnemonic: ''batty''-mustard) (INN/USAN, codenamed BB-94) is a drug that was invented by Laurie Hines of British Biotech (now Vernalis). It is an antimetastatic drug that belongs to the family of drugs called angiogenesis inhibitors. ...
and
marimastat. Various
enkephalinase inhibitors, such as
ketalorphan
Kelatorphan is a drug which acts as a powerful and complete inhibitor of nearly all of the enzymes responsible for catabolism of the endogenous enkephalins, including neutral endopeptidase (NEP), dipeptidyl peptidase III (DPP3), aminopeptidase N ...
,
spinorphin
Spinorphin is an endogenous, non-classical opioid peptide of the hemorphin family first isolated from the bovine spinal cord (hence the prefix ''spin''-) and acts as a regulator of the enkephalinases, a class of enzymes that break down endogeno ...
, and
tynorphin, are mainly exopeptidase inhibitors.
See also
*
Endopeptidase inhibitor An endopeptidase inhibitor is a drug that inhibits one or more endopeptidase enzymes. Endopeptidases are one of two types of proteases (enzymes that break down proteins and peptides), the other being exopeptidases. Endopeptidases cleave peptide bo ...
References
Protease inhibitors
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