Leupeptin, also known as ''N''-acetyl-L-leucyl-L-leucyl-L-argininal, is a naturally occurring protease inhibitor that can inhibit cysteine, serine and threonine peptidases. It is often used during ''in vitro'' experiments when a specific enzymatic reaction is being studied. When cells are lysed for these studies,

protease A protease (also called a peptidase, proteinase, or proteolytic enzyme) is an enzyme that catalyzes (increases reaction rate or "speeds up") proteolysis, breaking down proteins into smaller polypeptides or single amino acids, and spurring the ...

s, many of which are contained within

lysosome A lysosome () is a membrane-bound organelle found in many animal cells. They are spherical vesicles that contain hydrolytic enzymes that can break down many kinds of biomolecules. A lysosome has a specific composition, of both its membrane pr ...

s, are released. These proteases, if freely present in the lysate, would destroy any products from the reaction being studied, and make the experiment uninterpretable. For example, leupeptin could be used in a

calpain A calpain (; , ) is a protein belonging to the family of calcium-dependent, non-lysosomal cysteine proteases ( proteolytic enzymes) expressed ubiquitously in mammals and many other organisms. Calpains constitute the C2 family of protease clan C ...

extraction to keep calpain from being hydrolyzed by specific proteases. The suggested concentration is 1-10 μM (0.5-5 μg/ml). Leupeptin is an organic compound produced by

actinomycete The Actinomycetales is an order of Actinomycetota. A member of the order is often called an actinomycete. Actinomycetales are generally gram-positive and anaerobic and have mycelia in a filamentous and branching growth pattern. Some actinomycete ...

s, which inhibits serine, cysteine and

threonine protease Threonine proteases are a family of proteolytic enzymes harbouring a threonine (Thr) residue within the active site. The prototype members of this class of enzymes are the catalytic subunits of the proteasome, however the acyltransferases conver ...

s. Leupeptin inhibits serine proteinases (

trypsin Trypsin is an enzyme in the first section of the small intestine that starts the digestion of protein molecules by cutting these long chains of amino acids into smaller pieces. It is a serine protease from the PA clan superfamily, found in the d ...

(K_i=3.5 nM),

plasmin Plasmin is an important enzyme () present in blood that degrades many blood plasma proteins, including fibrin clots. The degradation of fibrin is termed fibrinolysis. In humans, the plasmin protein (in the zymogen form of plasminogen) is encode ...

(K_i= 3.4 nM), porcine

kallikrein Kallikreins are a subgroup of serine proteases, enzymes capable of cleaving peptide bonds in proteins. In humans, plasma kallikrein (encoded by '' KLKB1 gene'') has no known paralogue, while tissue kallikrein-related peptidases (''KLKs'') encode a ...

), and cysteine proteinases ( papain,

cathepsin Cathepsins (Ancient Greek ''kata-'' "down" and ''hepsein'' "boil"; abbreviated CTS) are proteases (enzymes that degrade proteins) found in all animals as well as other organisms. There are approximately a dozen members of this family, which are di ...

B (K_i = 4.1 nM),

endoproteinase Lys-C Endoproteinase Lys-C is a protease that cleaves proteins on the C-terminal side of lysine residues. This enzyme is naturally found in the bacterium '' Lysobacter enzymogenes'' and is commonly used in protein sequencing. Lys-C activity is optimal in ...

). It does not inhibit α- chymotrypsin or

thrombin Thrombin (, ''fibrinogenase'', ''thrombase'', ''thrombofort'', ''topical'', ''thrombin-C'', ''tropostasin'', ''activated blood-coagulation factor II'', ''blood-coagulation factor IIa'', ''factor IIa'', ''E thrombin'', ''beta-thrombin'', ''gamma- ...

. Leupeptin is a competitive transition state inhibitor and its inhibition may be relieved by an excess of substrate. Leupeptin is soluble in water (stable for 1 week at 4 °C and 1 month at −20 °C), ethanol, acetic acid and DMF. It can be given topically for middle and inner ear infections.

References

{{Reflist Protease inhibitors Tripeptides