Generation of VV‐hemorphin‐7 from globin by peritoneal macrophages

Abstract

Bovine globin has been incubated with mice peritoneal macrophages in order to study its hydrolysis by lysosomal enzymes, among which chiefly cathepsin D. Analysis of resulting peptides, by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), showed the release of a bioactive peptide, VV-hemorphin-7. When a carboxyl proteinase inhibitor such as pepstatin A was added, no hemorphin was generated. Our results clearly demonstrated that VV-hemorphin-7 generation was principally due to cathepsin D. This study allowed us to hypothesize a possible pathway for in vivo hemorphins appearance from globin catabolism by macrophages.