title: Effects of opioid peptides on aldosterone production: stimulatory effect of leu-enkephalin.
abstract: The effects of several opioid peptides (Leu-enkephalin, Met-enkephalin, D-Ala2,D-Leu5-enkephalin, and peptide E) on aldosterone secretion have been studied in isolated bovine adrenal glomerulosa cells. Leu-enkephalin significantly increased aldosterone production in a dose-dependent manner (10(-10)-10(-7) M). Similar results on steroidogenesis were obtained with the synthetic opioid D-Ala2,D-Leu5-enkephalin, whereas much higher concentrations of Met-enkephalin were required. Peptide E did not affect steroidogenesis. Naltrexone or naloxone (10(-5) M) potentiated the effect of Leu-enkephalin on aldosterone secretion. The effect of a general opioid antagonist (diprenorphine) or an agonist (etorphine) was also studied. The stimulation by Leu-enkephalin of aldosterone secretion was only partially blocked by diprenorphine. Etorphine (10(-6) and 10(-8) M) had no effect on basal steroidogenesis. It is proposed that the stimulatory effect of Leu-enkephalin on aldosterone production could be mediated by a different receptor than the classical opioid receptors presently known.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Bruzzone
authors.forename: E T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Marusic
mesh_terms: D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D004174:Diprenorphine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004743:Enkephalin, Leucine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016308:Enkephalin, Leucine-2-Alanine; D009270:Naloxone / Q000494:pharmacology; D009271:Naltrexone / Q000494:pharmacology; D010477:Perfusion
chemical_list: D004174:Diprenorphine; D009270:Naloxone; D000450:Aldosterone; D004743:Enkephalin, Leucine; D009271:Naltrexone; D016308:Enkephalin, Leucine-2-Alanine