Myoinositol uptake in rat parotid gland. A selective bioassay for NK1 receptors

A 25 year adventure in the field of tachykinins

Several aspects of our 25 year adventure in the field of tachykinins will be successively described. They concern: substance P (SP) synthesis and release in the basal ganglia, the identification and pharmacological characterization of central tachykinin NK(1), NK(2) and NK(3) binding sites and their topographical distribution, the description of some new biological tests for corresponding receptors, the identification of tachykinin NK(1) receptor subtypes or conformers sensitive to all endogenous tachykinins (substance P, neurokinin A (NKA), neurokinin B (NKB), neuropeptide gamma (NP gamma) and neuropeptide K (NPK)) and finally, the functional involvement of these receptors and their subtypes in tachykinin-induced regulations of dopamine and acetylcholine release in the striatum.

Effect of substance P and receptor antagonists on secretion of lingual lipase and amylase from rat von Ebner's gland

Substance P (SP, 1 microM) when incubated with minced von Ebner's glands for 15, 30, and 60 min, stimulated secretion of lingual lipase (12.14% +/- 0.90) and amylase (8.30% +/- 0.42). Only 10 microM of the SP receptor antagonist CP-96,345 significantly inhibited SP-evoked secretion. D-Pro2-D-Phe7-D-Trp9-SP (Ia), D-Pro2-D-Trp7,9-SP (Ib), D-Arg1-D-Trp7,9-D-Leu11-SP (Ic), or 1 microM CP-96,345 were not effective, suggesting that the SP receptor of von Ebner's gland might be an isoform. Propranolol and timolol, beta 1/beta 2-adrenergic receptor antagonists were not effective and the cholinergic receptor antagonist, atropine, was effective in only slightly reducing amylase secretion but not lingual lipase. Differential secretion of the two enzymes was observed for basal and stimulated secretion. Thus, exocytosis may not be the only pathway involved in SP-evoked protein secretion.

A new selective bioassay for tachykinin NK3 receptors based on inositol monophosphate accumulation in the guinea pig ileum

The selective agonists of tachykinin NK1, NK2 and NK3 receptors, respectively [Pro9]substance P, [Lys5,MeLeu9,Nle10]neurokinin A-(4-10) and senktide, stimulated phosphoinositide breakdown in slices of the guinea pig ileum. This was also the case with septide which has recently been found to act on a new type of tachykinin receptors in this tissue. The NK1, NK2 and septide-evoked responses were completely antagonized in the combined presence of (+/-)-CP-96,345 and MEN 10,376 which are potent and selective antagonists of tachykinin NK1 and NK2 receptors respectively in the guinea pig ileum. Like senktide, other available NK3 receptor agonists, such as [MePhe7]neurokinin B, [MeVal7]neurokinin B, [Pro7]neurokinin B and DiMe-C7, stimulated phosphoinositide hydrolysis in either the absence or combined presence of (+/-)-CP-96,345 and MEN 10,376, although senktide was the most potent. Therefore, following the blockade of tachykinin NK1, NK2 and septide-sensitive receptors, the accumulation of inositol monophosphate appears to be a valuable, rapid and sensitive bioassay for determining the activity of NK3 receptor agonists and putative NK3 receptor antagonists.

NK-1 receptors are the only class of tachykinin receptors found on mouse cortical astrocytes

Extending our previous studies, our results indicate that cultured cortical astrocytes from the mouse possess only NK-1 receptors coupled to phospholipase C. An excellent correlation was found in the potency of tachykinins and selective analogs at inhibiting 125I-BHSP binding and at stimulating phospholipase C activity, their rank order being that of NK-1 receptors. No binding sites could be found with ligands of NK-2 or NK-3 receptors. No additive effect could be shown with NK-2 or NK-3 agonists when phospholipase C activity was estimated with high concentrations of NK-1 agonists. C- or N-terminal SP fragments did not modify SP- or [Pro9]SP-evoked responses.