Stimulatory effect of enkephalins on calcium efflux from bovine adrenal chromaffin cells in culture

The effects of leucine- and methionine-enkephalin, opiate peptides, on Ca2+ efflux from cultured bovine adrenal chromaffin cells were examined. These enkephalins stimulated the efflux of 45Ca2+ from cells in a concentration-dependent manner (10(-8) M-10(-6) M). Leucine-enkephalin did not increase the intracellular free Ca2+ level, 45Ca2+ uptake, catecholamine secretion, cAMP level or cGMP level. The peptide-stimulated 45Ca2+ efflux was not inhibited by incubation in Ca2+-free medium, but was inhibited by incubation in Na+-free medium. These results indicate that enkephalins stimulate extracellular Na+-dependent 45Ca2+ efflux from cultured bovine adrenal chromaffin cells, probably by stimulating membrane Na+/Ca2+ exchange.