Conversion of the octapeptide dynorphin (Dyn) A-(1-8) to Leu5-enkephalin (LE) by endopeptidase EC 3.4.24.15 (EP-24.15) in vivo was examined using the technique of ventriculocisternal perfusion. Peptides were administered intracerebroventricularly in the presence or absence of the EP-24.15 inhibitor N-[1-(R,S)-carboxy-3-phenylpropyl]-Ala-Ala-Phe-p-aminobenzoate (cFPAAF-pAB) via cannulae placed into the lateral ventricle of urethane-anesthetized rats. The concentration of Dyn-like peptides and LE within the CSF was monitored by radioimmunoassay in samples of CSF taken from a second cannula placed in the cisterna magna. In the absence of inhibitor, less than 5% of the Dyn A-(1-8) administered was recovered in CSF. Immunoreactive LE, which is normally not found in CSF, increased rapidly in content following Dyn A-(1-8) infusion, an observation suggesting that the larger peptide is converted to LE. When the inhibitor cFPAAF-pAB was coadministered with Dyn A-(1-8), the concentration of immunoreactive Dyn A-(1-8) after 5 min was 40 times higher than that found in the absence of inhibitor. The angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor captopril reduced the degradation of Dyn A-(1-8) to a much lesser degree. The inhibitor of EP-24.15 also afforded some protection of other Dyn-like peptides. No EP-24.15 activity was found in rat CSF, whereas high activity was found in the choroid plexus. Taken together, these data clearly indicate that an ectoenzyme form of EP-24.15 rapidly converts intracerebroventricularly administered Dyn-like peptides to LE.