Abstract: | Met- and leu-enkephalin contents in midbrain (including hypothalamus) and striatum of rats were determined by radioimmunoassay after bestatin (racemate) injection (200 g, i.c.v.). It was found that bestatin administration influenced the midbrain met-enkephalin content, values and directions of the changes observed being dependent upon the time after the injection. The data obtained confirm the participation of aminopeptidase in enkephalin inactivation and present evidence for the possibility of regional variations of enkephalin catabolism pathways in the brain. |