title: Potentiation of dermorphin-induced antinociception by peptidase inhibitors.
abstract: We have investigated the effect of amastatin, an aminopeptidase inhibitor, and captopril, an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, on the antinociceptive activity induced by intracerebroventricular administration of dermorphin, a heptapeptide. In addition, the potency of dermorphin was compared with that of one of its metabolites, N-terminal tetrapeptide (Tyr-D-Ala-Phe-Gly), by using the tail pressure test. The antinociceptive activity induced by dermorphin was not potentiated by simultaneous administration of amastatin or captopril. However, there was potentiation when dermorphin was combined with both peptidase inhibitors. Moreover, the N-terminal tetrapeptide was 84 times less potent than its parent heptapeptide when administered intracerebroventricularly. The results suggest that the cleavage of Tyr1-D-Ala2 and Gly4-Tyr5 bonds by brain endopeptidase modulates dermorphin-induced antinociceptive activity.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sakurada
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakurada
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Andoh
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kisara
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
mesh_terms: D000700:Analgesics; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002216:Captopril / Q000494:pharmacology; D004357:Drug Synergism; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018847:Opioid Peptides; D010455:Peptides; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D009842:Oligopeptides; D018847:Opioid Peptides; D010455:Peptides; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; C030058:dermorphin; C016977:amastatin; D002216:Captopril