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A comparison of the effect of bombesin, dermorphin and salmon calcitonin on gastric acid secretion was assayed in rats two hours after their intracerebroventricular or subcutaneous administration. All three peptides significantly reduced gastric acid output after central administration. The order of potency was: bombesin greater than salmon calcitonin greater than dermorphin. After subcutaneous injection salmon calcitonin was very potent in reducing gastric acid output, while dermorphin was active only at high doses; bombesin had a very weak effect on the same parameter. Time-course studies demonstrated that the effect of these peptides reached a peak 1-2 h after their central administration, followed by a slow recovery toward control values. Salmon calcitonin, however, has a very prolonged action on the gastric parameters studied. These data indicate that bombesin and dermorphin might act centrally to modulate gastric acid secretion in the rat, while the very potent intracerebroventricular and subcutaneous action of salmon calcitonin suggests a different mechanism of action.

The effect of centrally administered dermorphin and a series of dimeric dermorphin analogs on gastric acid secretion was studied in pylorusligated rats. Dimeric dermorphin analogs consist of identical peptide chains either directly linked with a dihydride bond or a polyethyleneamine bridge at their carboxy termini. At a dose of 0.5 nmol dermorphin, and the dimeric analogs di-[D-Arg2,Sar4]-tetra-DM2, di-penta-DM0, di-[Sar4]-penta-DM0, di-[D-Arg2,Sar4]-penta-DM0, di-[D-Ala4]-penta-DM0 and di-DM0, and di-DM0, inhibited gastric acid output in a statistically significant manner (P less than 0.05). Furthermore, the binding characteristics of these peptides for the mu-type opioid receptor were analyzed using a brain synaptosomal fraction. Dermorphin and several dimeric dermorphin peptides bound to the mu-receptor: di-penta-DM0, di-[Sar4]-penta-DM0, di-penta-DM2 and di-DM0, had 3-to 5-fold greater affinity for the mu-receptor than the specific mu-agonist DAGO. These data indicate that a correlation exists between the central mediated gastric inhibitory effect of DM and several dimeric analogs and their affinity for the mu-type opioid receptor in rat brain.

The opioid receptor preference for dermorphin and several dimerized structural analogues was investigated using rat brain synaptosomes and correlated with the potencies of intracerebroventricularly administered dimeric dermorphin peptides to inhibit gastric acid secretion. The carboxyl terminus of dermorphin or amino-terminal dermorphin analogues was bridged by dihydrazide or (poly)ethylenediamine structures. Synaptosomal membranes were prepared for radioligand binding assay in the presence of soybean trypsin inhibitor and preincubated to remove endogenously bound opioid peptides before storage at -70 degrees C. Specific radiolabeled agonists used in the radioligand binding assays were [D-Ala2,N-methyl-Phe4,Gly-ol5] [3H] enkephalin for mu-receptors and [D-Ala2,D-Leu5] [3H]enkephalin for delta-receptors. delta-Receptor binding assays were conducted in the presence of 2.6 microM [N-Me-Phe3,D-Pro4]morphiceptin to suppress peptide binding to mu-receptors. [D-Ala2,N-methyl-Phe4,Gly-ol5]enkephalin and dermorphin had affinities of 1.39 and 1.22 nM for mu-receptors and 355.8 and 178.6 nM for delta-receptors, respectively. Affinities of dimeric-dermorphin0 for mu- and delta-receptors, and the mu-selectivity ratio, exceeded values characteristic of dermorphin. The dimerized amino-terminal dermorphin analogues are peptides whose receptor binding differed from the parent molecule; e.g. the affinity of dimeric tetrapeptides toward mu-receptors was reduced but was increased for delta-receptors relative to monomeric dermorphin-(1-4)-amide. Dimeric tetradermorphin linked by a bridge containing 12 methylene units (di-tetra-dermorphin12), exhibited a dramatic loss in the mu-selectivity ratio as a result of diminished mu-affinity. On the other hand, substitution of Gly4 by Sar in di-tetra-dermorphin2 enhanced binding to mu-receptors: substitution of D-Arg2 for D-Ala resulted in an increased binding to mu-receptors while decreasing binding to delta-receptors, yielding a peptide with the highest mu-selectivity ratio. These substitutions of D-Arg2 and Sar4 in dimeric amino-terminal dermorphin pentapeptides enhanced binding to both mu- and delta-receptors relative to dermorphin-(1-5)-amide, but led to a decrease in its mu-selectivity ratio. Several dimeric dermorphin analogues exhibited an enhanced mu-selectivity ratio relative to their monomeric analogues. Dimeric peptides, which had a relatively high affinity for mu-receptors, were effective in the suppression of gastric acid secretion.