Identification of functional GRP-preferring bombesin receptors on human melanoma cells

Bombesin was originally isolated from amphibian skin, wherease its mammalian counterpart, gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP), was first identified in the nervous system of the gastrointestinal tract. Whether GRP is present in the human skin is not known. Bombesin-like peptides are also known to modulate growth. We therefore investigated whether human melanoma cell lines express functional GRP-preferring bombesin receptors and whether they alter growth or other specific cellular functions of these tumour cells. GRP receptor mRNA was found in HBL, D-10, Me-28 and A375-6 cell lines, but only A375-6 cells express a large number of high-affinity binding sites for [¹²⁵I]-[Tyr⁴] bombesin ( K _d 0.31 ± 0.04 nmol L⁻¹, 3880 ± 429 binding sites per cell). Bombesin dose-dependently increased cytosolic calcium, but did not alter interleukin (IL) 1β-induced reduction of cell viability or IL-6 secretion, both A375-6-specific cell functions. Growth of A375-6 cells was not altered by bombesin or the specific GRP receptor antagonist BIM26226 as measured by [³H]-thymidine incorporation or methylene blue assay, whereas insulin alone or in combination with other potential growth factors dose-dependently stimulated growth of these cells. The newly characterized GRP-preferring bombesin receptors on highly malignant human melanoma cells could initiate studies of growth effects on solid tumours or in vivo scanning using radiolabelled tracers.     

Oral Controlled Release Technology for Peptides: Status and Future Prospects

In spite of significant efforts in academic and commercial laboratories, major breakthroughs in oral peptide and protein formulation have not been achieved. The major barriers to developing oral formulations for peptides and proteins include poor intrinsic permeability, lumenal and cellular enzymatic degradation, rapid clearance, and chemical and conformational stability. Pharmaceutical approaches to address these barriers, which have been successful with traditional, small, organic drug molecules, have not readily translated into effective peptide and protein formulations. The success achieved by Sandoz with cyclosporin formulations remains one clear example of what can be achieved, although it is likely that effective oral formulations for peptides and proteins will remain highly compound specific. Although the challenges are significant, the potential therapeutic benefit remains high, particularly with the increasing identification of potential peptide and protein drug candidates emerging from the biotechnology arena. Successful formulations will most likely require a systematic and careful merger of formulation and design delivery systems which maximize the potential for absorption across the epithelial cell layer.     

[I]Vasoactive intestinal peptide binding in rodent suprachiasmatic nucleus: Developmental and circadian studies

The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of rat and hamster have been studied extensively and shown to play critical roles in circadian rhythmicity. [¹²⁵I]Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) binding levels are high in the rat SCN, suggesting that VIP receptors may be an important component of SCN function. In contrast to previously demonstrated diurnal variations in VIP immunoreactivity and VIP mRNA, the present study found [¹²⁵I]VIP binding to be stable across the light-dark cycle in both rat and hamster SCN. High [¹²⁵I]VIP labeling appeared to be coextensive with the rat SCN but extended somewhat beyond the cytoarchitectonic boundaries of the hamster SCN. Binding density in hamster SCN was slightly higher than in rat. In the developing rat SCN, [¹²⁵I]VIP binding levels distinguished the SCN on embryonic day 18, and appeared to increase to postnatal day 10 before declining to adult levels. The early presence of [¹²⁵I]VIP binding suggests possible involvement of VIP receptors in fetal entrainment of circadian rhythms.     

Synthetic peptides corresponding to the sequence of noxiustoxin indicate that the active site of this K+ channel blocker is located on its amino-terminal portion

Summary A nonapeptide Thr-Ile-Ile-Asn-Val-Lys-Cys-Thr-Ser (NTX_1–9) and a decapeptide Met-Asn-Gly-Lys-Cys-Lys-Cys-Tyr-Asn-Asn (NTX_30–39) corresponding to the N-terminal and C-terminal sequences respectively of Noxiustoxin (NTX) were synthesized by the solid phase method of Merrifield (1963). The first synthetic peptide (NTX_1–9) was shown to be toxic to mice independently of the route of administration: intraperitoneally, subcutaneously or intraventricularly (100–200 g/20 g mouse weight). The second (NTX_30–39) was not toxic even at higher dose (400 g/20 g mouse). When the effects of the peptide NTX_1–9 and of the authentic toxin (Noxiustoxin) were studied on the liberation of [³H] 4-aminobutyric acid (³H-GABA) from mouse synaptosomes, both gave essentially the same results, except that peptide NTX_1–9 was needed at higher concentration. Synthetic peptide NTX_30–39 had no effect in the same preparation at even higher doses. The GABA release produced by toxic peptide NTX_1–9 was not affected by tetrodotoxin but was completely abolished by the presence of the K⁺ ionophore valinomycin, mimicking the effect of native NTX in the same system (Sitges et al., 1986). These results indicate that the toxic active site of Noxiustoxin is possibly located in or near the N-terminal amino acid portion of the molecule.Abbreviations used BOC amino acids ter-butyloxycarbonyl-amino acids - BOC amino acid-PAM-resin ter-butyloxycarbonyl-aminoacyl-4-(oxymethyl)-phenacetamidomethyl-resin - GABA 4 aminobutyric acid - HPLC high performance liquid chromatography - MSA mouse serum albumin - NTX Noxiustoxin - NTX _(numbers) synthetic peptides with amino acid sequences of NTX at position start (first number) to position end (second number) of the sequence according to Fig. 1 - TTX tetrodotoxin Supported in part by the Mexican Council of Science and Technology (CONACyT), grants PVT/QF/NAL/84/2182, PVT/AI/NAL/85/3029 to L.D.P.; PCSACNA 022640 to A.B. A patent request claiming rights on the use of synthetic NTX and related peptides was presented in Washington, DC (U.S.A.), Serial number 07/132,169, filing date December 14, 1987.     

Autonomic control of acid phosphatase exocrine secretion by the rat prostate

Summary In vivo prostatic secretion was collected from retired breeder Sprague Dawley rats using a method for isolated perfusion of the rat prostatic urethra. Enzymatic acid phosphatase determination was performed on the collected effluent. Control acid phosphatase secretion was 24.2±2.7 nm over 30 minutes. Intravenous phenylephrine 5 mg/kg stimulated a 10 fold increase in acid phosphatase secretion. The secretion seen with phenylephrine was dose dependent and could be blocked with prazosin, but not yohimbine, atropine, or propranolol. Intravenous -adrenergic agonist isoproterenol caused no increase in the secretion of rat prostatic acid phosphatese. Intravenous administration of the cholinergic agonist pilocarpine also resulted in a dose dependent rise in acid phosphatase secretion. The stimulation seen could be blocked by atropine but not phentolamine or propranolol. The stimulation of acid phosphatase secretion seen with ₁ adrenergic or cholinergic agonists was not additive. Intravenous vasoactive intestinal peptide did not stimulate acid phosphatase secretion nor did it augment the secretion induced by ₁ adrenergic or cholinergic agonists. Release of acid phosphatase into rat prostatic exocrine secretion is under both ₁ adrenergic and cholinergic control.Supported by the US Veterans Administration     

Human isolated small intestine: motor responses of the longitudinal muscle to field stimulation and exogenous neuropeptides

Summary (1) Longitudinal muscle strips from the human small intestine (jejunum/ileum) responded to electrical field stimulation (1–50 Hz) with frequency-related primary contractions which were largely atropine- (3 M) sensitive. When the tone was raised by addition of galanin (0.3 – 1 M), prostaglandin (PG) E₂ (1–10 M) or neurokinin A (NKA, 0.1 M), a frequency-related relaxation was evident which was potentiated by atropine. All the responses to field stimulation were abolished by tetrodotoxin (1 M), thus indicating their neural origin. (2) The atropine-sensitive primary contraction to field stimulation was virtually abolished by omega conotoxin fraction GVIA (CTX, 0.1–0.3 M) while the relaxations were CTX-resistant. The field stimulation-induced relaxations, which were observed in the presence of atropine and guanethidine (3 M), were also unaffected by apamin (0.1 M). (3) NKA and substance P (SP) produced a concentration- (1 nM–1 M for both peptides) related contraction, NKA being about 53 times more potent than SP. [Pro⁹]SP sulphone and [MePhe⁷]-NKB, selective agonists of the NK-1 and NK-3 receptor, respectively, were barely effective. On the other hand, [\Ala⁸]NKA(4–10), a selective NK-2 receptor agonist, had a potent contractile activity, similar to that of NKA. (4) Galanin (1 nM–1M) produced an atropine- and tetrodotoxin-resistant concentration-related contraction of longitudinal muscle of human isolated small intestine. The response to galanin did not show any sign of fading and was particularly suitable to study the evoked relaxations. (5) Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) (10–100 nM) consistently inhibited the nerve-mediated contractions of strips from the ileum while the effect on the jejunum was less pronounced. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP, 0.1–1 M) inhibited nerve-mediated contractions both in the ileum and the jejunum. (6) These experiments indicate that both cholinergic excitatory and non-adrenergic non-cholinergic nerves affect motility of the longitudinal muscle of the human small intestine. Furthermore, several neuropeptides produce potent motor effects, the contractile response to tachykinins being apparently mediated by activation of NK-2 receptors.     

Effects of calcitonin gene-related peptide on canine cerebral artery strips and the in-vivo vertebral blood flow in dogs

Summary The effects of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) on canine cerebral arteries and on vertebral blood flow were investigated in-vivo and in-vitro and the findings compared with the effects of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and substance P. Administration of CGRP into the vertebral artery caused a dose-dependent and long-lasting increase in blood flow. The in-vivo vasodilatory effects of substance P and VIP were short-lasting. CGRP (0.1 to 100 nmol/l) elicited a concentration-dependent relaxation of the isolated middle cerebral and basilar arteries when the tissues were precontracted by exposure to prostaglandin F₂ (PGF₂). This effect was not antagonized by propranolol, atropine, tetrodotoxin, (N-Ac-Tyr¹, D-Phe²)-growth hormone-releasing factor(1–29)-NH₂ or (D-Pro², D-Trp^7,9) substance P. CGRP also reduced concentration-dependently the contraction of cerebral arteries induced by KCl or 9,11-epithio-11,12-metano-thromboxane A₂ (STXA₂). Mechanical removal of the endothelium did not abolish the vasodilatory response to CGRP. In PGF₂-contracted canine cerebral arteries, VIP (0.1 to 100 nmol/l) was less potent a vasodilator than CGRP. At low concentrations (0.01 to 1 nmol/l) substance P elicited a rapid and short-lasting relaxation, and in the absence of endothelium this relaxation disappeared. These findings are clear evidence that CGRP modulates vascular tone.     

Renal and hormonal effects of alpha1-adrenoceptor blockade by bunazosin in essential hypertension

Summary The renal and hormonal effects of the ₁-adrenoceptor blocker bunazosin were examined in 6 patients with essential hypertension. Oral bunazosin for 4 to 12 weeks significantly decreased mean blood pressure by 10%, increased effective renal blood flow and creatinine clearance by 34% and 37%, respectively, the plasma norepinephrine concentration was elevated by 60%, and the plasma atrial natriuretic peptide level was lowered by 22%. The plasma renin activity and aldosterone concentration were unchanged. Thus, a moderate reduction in blood pressure was produced by bunazosin treatment while maintaining renal perfusion.     

Humoral and cellular effects of the K+-channel activator cromakalim in man

Summary The effect of cromakalim, a K⁺-channel activator, on the plasma renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, catecholamines and -atrial natriuretic peptide, and on the intraerythrocyte concentration and transmembrane fluxes of Na⁺ and K⁺ has been investigated in 18 normal male subjects, in a double-blind parallel study. After a run-in period on placebo for 1 week, the subjects were treated either with placebo (n=6) or cromakalim (n=12) for 1 week.Plasma renin activity was significantly increased during cromakalim. No effect of cromakalim on plasma angiotensin II, aldosterone, adrenaline, noradrenaline and -atrial natriuretic peptide was demonstrated. The intra-erythrocyte K⁺ concentration was decreased during cromakalim administration and Ca²⁺-dependent K⁺-channels in red blood cells were increased.