The influence of cell growth media on the stability and antitumour activity of methionine enkephalin.

Studies with cultured tumour cell lines are widely used in vitro to evaluate peptide-induced cytotoxicity as well as molecular and biochemical interactions. The objectives of this study were to investigate the influence of the cell culture medium on peptide metabolic stability and in vitro antitumour activity. The degradation kinetics of the model peptide methionine enkephalin (Met-E, Tyr-Gly-Gly-Phe-Met), demonstrated recently to play an important role in the rate of proliferation of tumour cells in vitro and in vivo, were investigated in cell culture systems containing different amounts of fetal bovine serum (FBS). The influence of enzyme inhibitors (bestatin, captopril, thiorphan) on the Met-E degradation was also investigated. The results obtained in the Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium containing 10% FBS indicated a rapid degradation of Met-E (t(1/2) = 2.8 h). Preincubation of the medium with a mixture of peptidase inhibitors reduced the hydrolysis of Met-E, as shown by the increased half-life to 10 h. The in vitro activity of Met-E against poorly differentiated cells from lymph node metastasis of colon carcinoma (SW620) and human larynx carcinoma (HEp-2) cells was determined. Tumour cells were grown for 3 weeks prior to the experiment in a medium supplemented with 10%, 5% or 2% FBS. Statistically significant to mild or no suppression of cell proliferation was observed in all cultures. In both cell lines, a significant suppression of cell growth by a combination of peptidase inhibitors and Met-E, compared with cells exposed to the peptide alone and cells grown in the absence of Met-E, was observed. This study indicated that caution must be exercised in interpreting the antiproliferative effects of peptide compounds in conventional drug-response assays.     

电针刺激加速大鼠中枢脑啡肽的合成

应用放射免疫分析法测定大鼠纹状体、下丘脑、丘脑、桥延脑内甲啡肽和亮啡肽样免疫活性物质(Ir-MEK,Ir-LEK)的含量。脑室注射氨基肽酶抑制剂 bestatin(B)或“脑啡肽酶”抑制剂 thiorphan(T)各50μg 并不影响脑内 Ir 脑啡肽含量,合并应用 B T 各50μg 仅引起下丘脑 Ir-MEK 含量轻度上升。这说明安静状态下中枢脑啡肽的更新率不高。给大鼠电针30min 使纹状体和下丘脑 Ir-MEK 和 Ir-LEK 含量升高约40%(33—52%)(P<0.01)。在脑室注射 B T 各100μg 以及腹腔注射非特异性肽酶抑制剂 D-苯丙氨酸250mg/Kg的基础上电针,则使 Ir-MEK 和 Ir-LEK 含量升高约120%(94—147%)(P<0.01)。以上结果说明30min 电针刺激既促进脑啡肽的合成,也促进其释放。由于前者超过后者,因此静态含量升高。在中枢脑啡肽含量升高的同时,电针镇痛效果加强。说明由于肽酶抑制剂的保护作用而积聚于脑内的脑啡肽是具有功能意义的。     

抑制伏核内脑啡肽的降解使电针镇痛和吗啡镇痛得到加强

将“脑啡肽酶”抑制剂 Thiorphan 或氨肽酶抑制剂 Bestatin 经慢性埋植套管注入家兔一侧状核内,观察到明显的镇痛作用,在1—4μg 范围内呈现明确的剂量-效应关系。该作用可为伏核内注射纳洛酮或甲啡肽抗体所完全翻转,亮啡肽抗体则无效。表明伏核内注射 Thior-Phan 或 Bestatn 所产生的镇痛效应主要是通过甲啡肽而完成的。伏核内注射微量 Thiorphan 或 Bestatin 使电针镇痛的后效应明显加强,并能增强吗啡的镇痛作用。表明电针和吗啡的镇痛效果至少有一部分是通过在伏核内释放出脑啡肽(特别是甲啡肽)而实现的。     

Changes in body temperature and metabolic rate following microinjection of Met-enkephalinamide in the preoptic/anterior hypothalamus of rats

The effects of Met-enkephalinamide (MET-ENKamide) on brain temperature (Tb) and metabolic rate (MR) were assessed following direct administration into the preoptic/anterior hypothalamus (PO/AH) of freely moving rats. Bilateral microinjections of saline or MET-ENKamide (1-25 micrograms/microliter) were delivered through cannula guide tubes previously implanted in nine animals. Thiorphan, an enkephalinase inhibitor, was microinjected into the PO/AH of two of the animals. All injections were made remotely at an ambient temperature of 22 +/- 1 degree C in a volume of 1 microliter. Measurements of Tb (via a brain-dwelling thermistor) and MR were recorded continuously. The ability of naloxone to antagonize the effects of MET-ENKamide was investigated by fashioning a double-barreled injection cannula to fit within each guide tube; 1 microliter of saline or naloxone (1-10 micrograms) was delivered bilaterally into the PO/AH followed by 1 microliter of MET-ENKamide (25 micrograms) 5-10 min later. PO/AH administration of MET-ENKamide (1-25 micrograms) produced dose-dependent increases in Tb preceded by dose-dependent increases in MR, with a characteristic time course of approximately 30 min. Naloxone antagonized the rise in Tb and MR, either partially or completely, depending on dose. When administered alone, naloxone had no effect on Tb or MR. Microinjection of thiorphan (10 micrograms) into the PO/AH evoked increases in Tb and MR that were similar to those responses induced by MET-ENKamide. These results support a role for endogenous Met-enkephalin in the regulation of Tb in the rat.