http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RB-101 -- Enkephalinase inhibitor - RB 101
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aminopeptidase_N
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombesin
Neprilysin, also known as membrane metallo-endopeptidase, neutral endopeptidase (NEP), CD10, and common acute lymphoblastic leukemia antigen (CALLA), is a zinc-dependent metalloprotease enzyme that degrades a number of small secreted peptides, most notably the amyloid beta peptide whose abnormal misfolding and aggregation in neural tissue has been implicated as a cause of Alzheimer's disease. Synthesized as a membrane-bound protein, the neprilysin ectodomain is released into the extracellular domain after it has been transported from the Golgi apparatus to the cell surface. In neurons, neprilysin is regulated by the protein nicastrin, a component of the gamma secretase complex that performs a necessary step in processing amyloid precursor protein to amyloid beta.[1]
Mutations in the neprilysin gene have been associated with familial forms of Alzheimer's disease,[2] and neprilysin-deficient knockout mice show both Alzheimer's-like behavioral impairment and amyloid-beta deposition in the brain,[3] providing strong evidence for the protein's association with the Alzheimer's disease process. Because neprilysin is thought to be the rate-limiting step in amyloid beta degradation,[4] it has been considered a potential therapeutic target; compounds such as the peptide hormone somatostatin have been identified that increase the enzyme's activity level.[5] One hypothesis for the strong dependence of Alzheimer's incidence on age focuses on the declining production of somatostatin the brains of elderly people, which thus depresses the activity of neprilysin and promotes aggregation of unprocessed amyloid beta.[6] Declining neprilysin activity with increasing age may also be explained by oxidative damage, known to be a causative factor in Alzheimer's disease; higher levels of inappropriately oxidized neprilysin have been found in Alzheimer's patients compared to cognitively normal elderly people.[7]
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8185186
Cholecystokinin-A but not cholecystokinin-B receptor stimulation induces endogenous opioid-dependent antinociceptive effects in the hot plate test in mice. Derrien M, Noble F, Maldonado R, Roques BP.
Unité de Pharmacochimie Moléculaire et Structurale, U 266 INSERM-URA 1500 CNRS, Université René Descartes, UFR des Sciences Pharmaceutiques et Biologiques, Paris, France.
Abstract The effects of intracerebroventricular administration of the cholecystokinin (CCK) analogue, BDNL, and the selective CCK-B agonist, BC 264, were determined using the hot plate test in mice. BDNL (0.2 nmol and 0.5 nmol) increased the jump and the paw lick latencies. These effects were blocked by the CCK-A antagonist MK-329 (0.02 mg/kg), supporting the involvement of CCK-A receptors in CCK-induced analgesia. In contrast, the selective CCK-B agonist BC 264 produced, at one dose (2.5 nmol), a slight decrease in the lick latency that was only antagonized by the CCK-B antagonist. Naloxone, but not naltrindole, antagonized BDNL-induced analgesia. The results suggest that activation of CCK-A receptors by BDNL leads to antinociceptive responses indirectly mediated by stimulation of mu-opioid receptors by endogenous enkephalins.
PMID 8247353 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Taken together, these findings suggest that the potentiating effects of delta agonists on mu-mediated analgesia are due to an increase in the release of endogenous CCK interacting with CCK-A and CCK-B receptors and resulting in positive and negative regulation of the endogenous opioid system.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Opposite role of delta 1- and delta 2-opioid receptors activated by endogenous or exogenous opioid agonists on the endogenous cholecystokinin system: further evidence for delta-opioid receptor heterogeneity.
Noble F, Fournie-Zaluski MC, Roques BP.
Department de Pharmacochimie Moléculaire et Structurale, INSERM U266, CNRS URA D 1500, Université René Descartes, UFR des Sciences Pharmaceutiques et Biologiques, Paris, France.
\http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8951884Abstract
Using the mouse caudate-putamen, where delta-opioid receptor subtypes have been shown to regulate adenylyl cyclase activity, we show in this study that endogenous enkephalins inhibit enzyme activity through activation of delta 1- and delta 2-opioid receptors. Thus, naltriben or 7-benzylidenenaltrexone as well as the delta-selective antagonist naltrindole (mixed delta 1 and delta 2 antagonist) antagonized inhibition of adenylyl cyclase activity induced by methionine- or leucine-enkephalin, while the micro-antagonist D-Phe-Cys-Tyr-D-Trp-Orn-Thr-Pen-Thr-NH2 (CTOP) was without effect. Furthermore, we have previously shown that activation of delta-opioid receptors increases cholecystokinin release in the central nervous system, resulting in a potentiation of micro-opioid antinociceptive responses, and the respective role of delta 1- and delta 2-opioid receptors in this facilitatory effect has now been evaluated. Activation of delta 2-opioid receptors, either by endogenous enkephalins protected from catabolism by the complete enkephalin-degrading enzyme inhibitor N-((R,S)-2-benzyl-3((S)(2-amino-4-methyl-thio) butyldithio)-1-oxopropyl)-L-phenyl-alanine benzyl ester (RB 101), or by the delta 2-selective agonist Tyr-D-Ser(O-tert-butyl)-Gly-Phe-Leu-Thr(O-tert-butyl) (BUBU), potentiated micro-opioid antinociceptive responses in the hot-plate test in mice. This effect was antagonized by a selective cholecystokinin-A antagonist. Activation of delta 1-opioid receptors by endogenous opioid peptides decreased the micro-opioid responses. These results suggest that stimulation of delta 2-opioid receptors potentiates micro-opioid analgesia in the hot-plate test in mice through an increase in endogenous cholecystokinin release, while activation of delta 1-opioid receptors could decrease it. Thus, the pre-existing physiological balance between opioid and cholecystokinin systems seems to be modulated in opposite directions depending on whether delta 1- or delta 2-opioid receptors are selectively activated. This is the first demonstration that endogenous enkephalins, methionine- and leucine-enkephalin, are the natural ligands of delta-opioid receptor subtypes, and that delta 2-opioid receptor activation may facilitate the endogenous cholecystokinin-related modulation of micro-opioid analgesia, while the delta 1-opioid receptors may have an inhibitory role. These results could have important applications for the characterization of opioid delta 1 and delta 2 as subtypes or subsites and in pain alleviation.
PMID 8951884 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Selective opioid agonists and inhibitors of enkephalin degradation enzymes: pharmacological and clinical values] [Article in French]
Noble F, Roques BP.
Université René Descartes, Département de Chimie Organique, U266 INSERM, URA498 CNRS, Paris.
Abstract A recently developed series of highly selective and systemically active delta-agonists such as Tyr-X-Gly-Phe-Leu-Thr(OtBu), with X = D-Ser (OtBu) in BUBU and X = D-Cys(OtBu) in BUBUC, and complete inhibitors of enkephalin metabolism (Kelatorphan, RB 38A, RB 101) have enabled the major role played by mu-opioid receptors in supraspinal analgesia to be demonstrated. This is in agreement with the results of in vivo mu-receptor occupancy measured by taking into account the cross-reactivity of the delta-ligand for mu-sites. In contrast mu and delta binding sites seem to act independently to control pain at the spinal level. Strong analgesic effects can also be obtained by complete protection of tonically or phasically released endogenous enkephalins with mixed inhibitors. Chronic i.c.v. administration of the mu agonist DAMGO, led to a severe naloxone precipitated withdrawal syndrome whilst a weak dependence was seen with the delta agonist, DSTBULET or with RB 38A and none after repeated i.p. injection of RB 101, a systemically active mixed inhibitor. Moreover, chronic administration of RB 101 did not induce antinociceptive tolerance, a major side effect observed during chronic administration of opiates. These differences could be related to a more efficient and selective stimulation of opioid receptors by the endogenous enkephalins. This suggest that the large changes in receptor density, adenylate cyclase activity or phosphorylation of proteins following chronic morphine treatment is not significantly triggered by occupation of the opioid receptors by their natural ligands. All these data emphasize the interest in developing delta-agonists and mixed inhibitors with appropriate bioavailability for clinical evaluation.