L-pipecolate oxidase: a distinct peroxisomal enzyme in man.

We investigated the oxidation of L-pipecolate in human liver. The results obtained with L-pipecolate from which traces of D-pipecolate had been removed by a preincubation with D-aminoacid oxidase indicate that a distinct L-pipecolate oxidase rather than D-aminoacid oxidase is responsible for the L-pipecolate dependent H2O2-production in human liver. Importantly, L-pipecolate oxidase was found to be localized in peroxisomes which adds to the growing number of enzymes and metabolic functions which can be ascribed to peroxisomes.