Insulysin

Abstract

Insulysin appears to be responsible for the majority of the insulin-degrading activity in most cell lysates. It is inhibited by both chelating agents and alkylating agents. Because of its high affinity for insulin, it is possible to test whether a particular substrate may be cleaved by this enzyme by determining whether insulin inhibits its degradation. Both polyclonal antisera and a monoclonal antibody against the enzyme have been described and are commercially available. Finally, a fluorogenic synthetic substrate, 2-aminobenzyl-GGFLRKVGQ-ethylenediamine-2,4-dinitrophenol, has been described for assaying insulysin and inhibitors for IDE activity were recently reported.