Dipeptidyl Peptidase

Dipeptidyl Peptidase (DPP) is an antigenic enzyme expressed on the surface of most cell types and is associated with immune regulation,signal transduction and apoptosis. DPP is an intrinsic membrane glycoprotein and a serine exopeptidase that cleaves X-proline dipeptides from the N-terminus of polypeptides. The substrates of DPP are proline-containing peptides and include growth factors, chemokines, neuropeptides, and vasoactive peptides. DPP plays a major role in glucose metabolism. DPP is responsible for the degradation of incretins such as GLP-1. Furthermore, DPP appears to work as a suppressor in the development of cancer and tumours. DPP plays an important role in tumor biology, and is useful as a marker for various cancers, with its levels either on the cell surface or in the serum increased in some neoplasms and decreased in others.