Histamine release by neurotensin in the rat hindquarter: structure-activity studies

Effect of the neurotensin receptor antagonist SR48692 on rat blood pressure modulation by neurotensin

When administered as an intravenous injection in the pentobarbitone-anaesthetized rat, neurotensin (NT) elicits a biphasic depressor-pressor effect that can be evaluated by the mean arterial blood pressure (MABP). The first hypotensive phase elicited by low doses of NT is dependent on the interaction of NT with its specific receptors and may be mediated by the release of histamine, since it is prevented by oral pretreatment with the selective NT receptor antagonist SR 48692 and by intravenous pretreatment with a selective H1 receptor antagonist mepyramine. The hypertensive effect evoked by higher doses of NT is histamine-independent but remains NT receptor- mediated. The prevention of the biphasic effect on MABP by oral administration of the NT receptor antagonist SR 48692 validates the implication of NT receptors in the histamine release phenomenon.

Circular dichroism (CD) studies on biological activity of mast cell degranulating (MCD) peptide analogs

Analogs of MCD peptide were synthesized by solid-phase methods. Positive charges were deleted at the N-and/or C-terminus, including the helical portion of the molecule. Four peptides were prepared by removing residues 16-18 (Arg-Lys-Ile), 1-2 (Lys), 1-2 and 16-18 and by acetylation of the amino end (Ile). Analogs were tested on mast cells for histamine-releasing activity. Although the helicity of these derivatives, determined by circular dichroism (CD), was not significantly different from the native MCD peptide, two analogs with C-terminal deletions showed a 5- to 10-fold decrease in activity. These findings suggest that the C-terminus is more important than the N-terminus in determining bioactivity of MCD peptide.

Mast cell degranulating (MCD) peptide analogs with reduced ring structure

Mast cell degranulating (MCD) peptide, a component of bee venom, is a 22 amino acid peptide with two disulfide bridges. In this first structure-activity study of MCD peptide, three analogs were synthesized and tested: two analogs shortened by omitting sequences 6-10 and 8-13, respectively, and one analog lacking the disulfide bridge between cysteine residues 5 and 19. These analogs were synthesized by solid-phase methods and were compared to MCD peptide in two assays for inflammation: histamine release from mast cells and superoxide anion release from neutrophils. All three analogs produced histamine release, although with only about one fifth of the activity of MCD peptide. Superoxide anion-releasing activity, however, did not parallel histamine release. MCD peptide did not release superoxide anion, while the 6-10 and 8-13 deletion analogs were strong and weak stimulants, respectively, of this anion. CD spectra showed that the secondary structures of the three analogs were very similar to that of MCD peptide, so that a change in secondary structure cannot completely explain the changes in releasing activities. Charge differences between the two deletion analogs and MCD peptide may explain some of the differences in activity. This is the first demonstration that the various activities of MCD peptide can be separated, and provides a lead through which the purported antiinflammatory activity of MCD peptide may possibly be explored in the future.

Human mast cell proteases hydrolyze neurotensin, kinetensin and Leu5-enkephalin

Purified mast cell carboxypeptidase cleaved the C-terminal leucines from Leu5-enkephalin (Leu-ENK), neurotensin (NT), and kinetensin (KT), with Km values of 36, 16, and 15 microM, and kcat values of 44, 51, and 53 s-1, respectively. To better predict potential in vivo hydrolysis products generated by mast cell proteases, these peptides were incubated with released skin mast cell supernatants. Leu5-enkephalin was hydrolyzed only by carboxypeptidase. Kinetensin was cleaved by tryptase, chymase, and carboxypeptidase to yield KT(1-3), KT(1-7), KT(1-8), KT(4-7), and KT(4-8), the last two peptides by the concerted action of two of the proteases. NT(1-11) and NT(1-12) were generated from neurotensin by chymase and carboxypeptidase, respectively.

Histamine secretion induced by neuromedin-N

Neuromedin-N dose-dependently stimulated the release of histamine from rat serosal mast cells and was 10 to 100 times less potent than neurotensin. The threshold concentration was 10(-6) M, and 10(-3) M neuromedin-N released 31% of the total cell histamine content. The histamine release induced by neuromedin-N was temperature-dependent with an optimum around 30-37 degrees C. Skin vascular permeability increased dose-dependently in response to intradermal injections of neuromedin-N and this peptide was 10 to 100 times less potent than neurotensin. Mepyramine inhibited the effect on vascular permeability suggesting that the effect of neuromedin-N was mediated via the release of histamine.

Cardiovascular effects of neurotensin and some analogues on rats

When administered in vivo into the femoral vein of normotensive rats, neurotensin, neurotensin-(8-13), and [D-Lys8]neurotensin-(8-13) decreased diastolic blood pressure in a dose-dependent manner, without change in heart rate. All three peptides evoked tachyphylaxis and a triphasic depressor-pressor-depressor, response at higher doses. The rank order of potency was neurotensin greater than [D-Lys8]neurotensin-(8-13) greater than neurotensin-(8-13). In organ chamber experiments, both neurotensin and neurotensin-(8-13) at a range of concentrations which induced dose-dependent decreases in blood pressure, did not significantly change tension in rat aorta rings with or without endothelium. In contrast, [D-Lys8]neurotensin-(8-13) induced weak dose-dependent relaxation of both rings with or without endothelium. However, this effect was not obtained at concentrations able to decrease the blood pressure. Indomethacin did not change the vasodilator effect of [D-Lys8]neurotensin-(8-13). There was no correlation between the vasodilator effect of this peptide and its ability to decrease blood pressure. These experiments suggest that the hypotension was not due to a direct vasodilator effect on the smooth muscle. In addition, since the rank order of peptide potency was opposite of those found in previous studies of second messenger synthesis and binding to neural tissue, these data suggest that there is a second receptor for neurotensin or that neurotensin can also bind to a different unknown receptor.

Stimulation of histamine release by the peptide kinetensin

The peptide kinetensin isolated from pepsin-treated human plasma induced a dose-dependent release of histamine when exposed to rat peritoneal mast cells. The threshold concentration was around 10(-6) M, the ED50 was 10(-5) M, and the optimal concentration of between 10(-4) to 10(-3) M released 80% of the total histamine. Kinetensin was 10 to 100 times less potent than neurotensin and equipotent with the opioid peptide dynorphin. The histamine release was clearly temperature-dependent, with no release occurring at 0 degrees or 45 degrees C and with an optimum around 37 degrees C. The histamine release was significantly reduced in the absence of extracellular calcium. Kinetensin also induced a dose-dependent increase in vascular permeability when injected intradermally into rats. The findings indicate that kinetensin is a potent histamine releaser in the rat and may serve as an inflammatory mediator.

[3H]neurotensin(8-13) binds in human brain to the same sites as does [3H]neurotensin but with higher affinity

The binding of [3H]neurotensin(8-13) to membranes from human frontal cortex at 0 degree C was time dependent, specific, saturable, and reversible. Saturation isotherms provided an equilibrium dissociation constant (KD) of 0.52 nM, and the maximal number of binding sites (Bmax) was 3.5 pmol/g original wet weight of tissue. Scatchard analysis yielded a straight line, and the Hill coefficient was equal to 1, a result indicating that [3H]neurotensin(8-13) bound to single, noncoopertive sites. The KD values of several analogs of neurotensin determined in competition with [3H]neurotensin(8-13) were similar to those previously determined in competition with [3H]neurotensin. The regional distribution of binding sites for [3H]neurotensin(8-13) was also similar to that for [3H]neurotensin. These results suggest that [3H]neurotensin(8-13) binds to the same sites as [3H]neurotensin and that [3H]neurotensin(8-13) has a higher affinity than [3H]neurotensin for these sites in human brain.

Comparison of the stimulation of inositol phospholipid hydrolysis and of cyclic GMP formation by neurotensin, some of its analogs, and neuromedin N in neuroblastoma clone N1E-115

Neurotensin, some of its analogs, and neuromedin N were examined for comparison of their potencies at stimulating inositol phospholipid hydrolysis and cyclic GMP synthesis in intact murine neuroblastoma cells (clone N1E-115). Neurotensin(8-13) and acetylneurotensin(8-13) had the highest potencies for the stimulation of the hydrolysis of inositol phospholipid, which were about three times as potent as neurotensin (EC50 = 0.9 nM). On the other hand, fragments of the amino-terminal portion of neurotensin, such as neurotensin(1-6), neurotensin(1-8) and neurotensin(1-11), showed no ability to stimulate this hydrolysis. Neuromedin N, which is similar in structure to neurotensin(8-13) and which has been demonstrated to stimulate cyclic GMP formation [J.A. Gilbert and E. Richelson, Eur. J. Pharmac. 129, 379 (1986)], had EC50 values of 2.5 and 4.5 nM for release of [3H]inositol phosphates and stimulation of cyclic [3H]GMP respectively. A strong correlation was obtained between the EC50 values for neurotensin and several analogs in the stimulation of the release of inositol phosphates and the EC50 values for these peptides in the stimulation of cyclic GMP formation in neuroblastoma clone N1E-115 cells under similar experimental conditions. Thus, these two different biochemical effects of neurotensin and its analogs appear to be mediated by the same receptor site, which may also have been the site of action of neuromedin N in these cells.

Potency of various peptides as histamine liberators in the rat hind limb

The potency of several peptides and drugs as histamine liberators was assessed using the rat isolated hind limb preparation. Neurotensin (NT) and compound 48/80 (C48/80) were effective in concentrations as low as 10(-9) M and 10(-8) M, respectively. Threshold concentrations of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and substance P (SP) varied between 5 X 10(-7) to 5 X 10(-6) M while somatostatin (SS) was barely active at 6 X 10(-6) M. No histamine release could be detected following the use of high concentrations of thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) (6 X 10(-6) M), dynorphin (DYN) (6 X 10(-6) M) bradykinin (BK), des-Arg9-BK or bombesin (BB) (at 10(-5) M). Poly-L-Lysine and the calcium ionophore A23187 were about 100 times less active than NT. Concanavalin A (Con A) was inactive at 10(-6) M. These results indicate that NT is more potent (on a molar basis) as histamine liberator in the rat hind limb preparation (which contains a large population of cutaneous and subcutaneous mast cells) than any of the other compounds tested. Histamine release by NT was inhibited by preexposure of the rat hind limb mast cells to a high concentration of SP (1.5 X 10(-6) M). This result adds further support to the hypothesis suggesting that NT and SP might share a common mechanism of action and/or act through common receptors at least in rat mast cells.

Suggestive evidence for a functional unit between mast cells and substance P fibers in the rat diaphragm and mesentery

A close spatial relationship between serotonin-containing mast cells and substance P-containing nerves was shown by immunohistochemistry using a combination of antisera specific for serotonin and substance P. This supports earlier morphological results suggesting an innervation of mast cells and pharmacological studies which postulate an influence of substance P on the release of histamine from mast cells.