Distribution of met5-enkephalin-Arg6-Phe7 (MEAP) in various tissues of rats and guinea pigs.
With a specific and sensitive radioimmunoassay coupled to HPLC separation, we have measured met5-enkephalin-Arg6-Phe7 in extracts of various peripheral organs. The highest content was found in ileum and lung. The MEAP in lung can be released in a Ca++-dependent manner by KCl. The ratio of MEAP/ME seems to differ in various peripheral tissues, suggesting that MEAP may not only be a precursor of ME but may also act as a neurotransmitter or neuromodulator itself.
D000818:Animals; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D011863:Radioimmunoassay / Q000379:methods; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013045:Species Specificity; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine; C027511:enkephalin-Met, Arg(6)-Phe(7)-