phosphoramidon and leucine-thiorphan

To determine the role of endogenous neutral endopeptidase (NEP), also called enkephalinase (EC 3.4.24.11), in regulating tachykinin-induced contraction of gut smooth muscle, we studied the effects of NEP inhibitors on the contractile responses to substance P (SP) in isolated longitudinal strips of ileum or duodenum in rats and ferrets. Leucine-thiorphan and phosphoramidon shifted the concentration-response curves of SP to lower concentrations in all tissues studied, but the sensitivity to SP was greater and the effect of leucine-thiorphan was less in the ferret, a finding that correlated with the observation that the ferret ileum contained substantially less NEP activity than rat ileum. Captopril, bestatin, MGTA, leupeptin, and physostigmine did not alter contractile responses to SP, suggesting that kininase II, aminopeptidases, carboxypeptidase N, serine proteinases, and acetylcholinesterase do not modulate the SP-induced effects. These studies suggest that, in the ileum and duodenum, NEP modulates the actions of SP and, furthermore, that the sensitivity of tissues may be determined, at least in part, by the amount of enzymatically active NEP present.

Topics: Animals; Drug Synergism; Duodenum; Endopeptidases; Enkephalin, Leucine; Enkephalin, Leucine-2-Alanine; Female; Ferrets; Glycopeptides; Ileum; Intestines; Male; Muscle Contraction; Protease Inhibitors; Rats; Substance P; Thiorphan

To evaluate the role of airway neutral endopeptidase (NEP) in the regulation of contraction of airway smooth muscle in response to endogenous tachykinins, we studied the effects of the NEP inhibitor phosphoramidon on contractions of guinea pig bronchial smooth muscle strips induced by either electrical field stimulation (EFS) or by capsaicin. In the presence of atropine (10(-6) M), propranolol (10(-6) M), phentolamine (10(-5) M), indomethacin (10(-6) M) and pyrilamine (5 x 10(-6) M) EFS (biphasic; pulse width, 1.0 msec; frequency 0.5-5 Hz for 30 sec; intensity, 20 V) produced noncholinergic, nonadrenergic muscle contraction in a frequency-dependent fashion (P less than .001). Phosphoramidon potentiated the contractile responses to EFS (P less than .01). Leucine-thiorphan (10(-5) M), another NEP inhibitor, potentiated EFS-induced contraction in a similar fashion as phosphoramidon (186 and 182% of control, respectively; each comparison, P less than .025). Captopril, bestatin, leupeptin and physostigmine (each drug, 10(-5) M) were without effect (P greater than .5, N = 5). Capsaicin (1.5 x 10(-8) M) produced long-lasting atropine-resistant smooth muscle contraction, an effect potentiated by phosphoramidon (10(-5) M (P less than .001). Removal of the epithelium slightly but significantly (P less than .05) increased the contractile responses to capsaicin and to EFS at impulse frequencies of 2 and 5 Hz, and phosphoramidon substantially increased contractions in tissues without epithelium. The trachea, bronchi and lungs each contained significant NEP activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topics: Animals; Bronchi; Capsaicin; Electric Stimulation; Glycopeptides; Guinea Pigs; In Vitro Techniques; Muscle Contraction; Neprilysin; Substance P; Thiorphan

To study the roles of substance P and endogenous neutral endopeptidase in mediating cough, we measured cough responses in awake guinea pigs in response to exogenous substance P and capsaicin aerosols in the presence and absence of the neutral endopeptidase inhibitors leucine-thiorphan and phosphoramidon. Substance P stimulated cough in very low concentrations (10(-17)-10(-16) M). In a second study where the investigator did not know whether substance P or diluent alone was aerosolized, substance P (10(-16) M) caused cough. Leucine-thiorphan (10(-5) M) and phosphoramidon (10(-5) M) potentiated substance P-induced cough; NEP inhibitors also potentiated capsaicin-induced cough significantly. These findings suggest that substance P is a potent stimulator of cough responses, that capsaicin-induced cough is mediated by substance P or another similar neuropeptide, and that cough responses are modulated by endogenous neutral endopeptidase.

Topics: Animals; Capsaicin; Cough; Drug Synergism; Glycopeptides; Guinea Pigs; Male; Neprilysin; Substance P; Thiorphan

Neutral endopeptidase (NEP) (enkephalinase, EC 3.4.24.11) and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) are two peptidases that can cleave the C-terminal dipeptide bradykinin(8-9) from bradykinin. To determine whether these peptidases play roles in modulating kinin-induced contractions in the airways, we studied the effects of captopril, an ACE inhibitor, and of leucine-thiorphan and phosphoramidon, two NEP inhibitors, on the contractile responses to bradykinin and lysyl-bradykinin in isolated segments of ferret trachea. Bradykinin and lysyl-bradykinin-induced contractions in a concentration-dependent fashion (P less than .001), with a threshold of 10(-7) M and 5 x 10(-7) M, respectively. In contrast, the bradykinin(8-9) and the N-terminal heptapeptide bradykinin(1-7), the major fragments of hydrolysis of bradykinin by NEP and ACE, had a very weak or no effect on tracheal contraction in concentrations as great as 10(-5) M. Captopril, leucine-thiorphan and phosphoramidon (each inhibitor at 10(-5) M, 15 min) shifted the concentration-response curves to lower concentrations by approximately 1 to 1.5 log U (P less than .05). Both NEP inhibitors and the ACE inhibitor potentiated the response to bradykinin in a concentration-dependent fashion (P = .0001), and the combination of phosphoramidon and captopril resulted in an additive potentiation of bradykinin-induced contraction (P less than .02). [D-Pro2-D-Trp7,9]-substance P, a substance P antagonist, did not modify the potentiation of bradykinin-induced contraction by NEP inhibitors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topics: Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; Animals; Captopril; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Synergism; Ferrets; Glycopeptides; Kinins; Male; Metalloendopeptidases; Muscle Contraction; Neprilysin; Thiorphan; Tiopronin; Trachea