METABOLISM AND TRANSPORT OF THE PENTAPEPTIDE METKEPHAMID BY BRUSH-BORDER MEMBRANE-VESICLES OF RAT INTESTINE

Intestinal metabolism and transport of the pentapeptide metkephamid (Tyr-D-Ala-Gly-Phe-N-Me-Met-NH2) were studied using isolated brush-border membranes from the rat. Analysis of the metabolic fragments of enzymatic hydrolysis revealed that cleavage of the N-terminal peptide bond leads to the formation of tyrosine and a tetrapeptide D-Ala-Cly-Phe-N-Me-Met-NH2. The inactivation was due to aminopeptidase N activity and could be inhibited by peptidase inhibitors puromycin, bacitracin and certain dipeptides. Transport studies demonstrated uptake of the intact pentapeptide into the intravesicular space of the vesicles. The transport was a first-order process; no participation of known intestinal peptide carrier systems in the transport of metkephamid could be shown. Modelling of simultaneous metabolism and transport kinetics suggests strategies to improve the fraction absorbed of a peptide by either decreasing its affinity to the metabolizing enzymes (increase K-m) or decreasing the concentration of the metabolizing enzymes e.g. by delivering the peptide to an absorption site with reduced enzymatic activity (decrease V-max) or increasing its absorption velocity.