title: C-terminal amide to alcohol conversion changes the cardiovascular effects of endomorphins in anesthetized rats.
abstract: Endomorphin1-ol (Tyr-Pro-Trp-Phe-ol, EM1-ol) and endomorphin2-ol (Tyr-Pro-Phe-Phe-ol, EM2-ol), with C-terminal alcohol (-ol) containing, have been shown to exhibit higher affinity and lower intrinsic efficacy in vitro than endomorphins. In the present study, in order to investigate the alterations of systemic hemodynamic effects induced by C-terminal amide to alcohol conversion, responses to intravenous (i.v.) or intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of EM1-ol, EM2-ol and their parents were compared in the system arterial pressure (SAP) and heart rate (HR) of anesthetized rats. Both EM1-ol and EM2-ol induced dose-related decrease in SAP and HR when injected in doses of 3-100 nmol/kg, i.v. In terms of relative vasodepressor activity, it is interesting to note that EM2-ol was more potent than endomorphin2 [the dose of 25% decrease in SAP (DD25) = 6.01+/-3.19 and 13.99+/-1.56 nmol/kg, i.v., respectively] at a time when responses to EM1-ol were less potent than endomorphin1. Moreover, decreases in SAP in response to EM1-ol and EM2-ol were reduced by naloxone, atropine sulfate, L-NAME and bilateral vagotomy. It indicated that the vasodepressor responses were possibly mediated by a naloxone-sensitive, nitric oxide release, vagus-activated mechanism. It is noteworthy that i.c.v. injections of -ol derivatives produced dose-related decreases in SAP and HR, which were significantly less potent than endomorphins and were attenuated by naloxone and atropine sulfate. In summary, the results of the present study indicated that the C-terminal amide to alcohol conversion produced different effects on the vasodepressor activity of endomorphin1 and endomorphin2 and endowed EM2-ol distinctive hypotension characters in peripheral (i.v.) and central (i.c.v.) tissues. Moreover, these results provided indirect evidence that amidated C-terminus might play an important role in the regulation of the cardiovascular system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Life Science, Lanzhou University, 222 Tian Shui South Road, Lanzhou 730000, PR China.
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Chang-lin
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Ying-zhe
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Hong-mei
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000438:Alcohols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000577:Amides / Q000378:metabolism*; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D008297:Male; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000438:Alcohols; D000577:Amides; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous; D009842:Oligopeptides; C105293:endomorphin 1; C105294:endomorphin 2