(Science: enzyme) enzyme that is a major constituent of kidney brush-border membranes and is also present to a lesser degree in the brain and other tissues. It preferentially catalyses cleavage at the amino group of hydrophobic residues of the b-chain of insulin as well as opioid peptides and other biologically active peptides.
The enzyme is inhibited primarily by edta, phosphoramidon, and thiorphan and is reactivated by zinc. Neprilysin is identical to common acute lymphoblastic leukaemia antigen (calla), an important marker in the diagnosis of human acute lymphocytic leukaemia.
Registry number: EC 126.96.36.199