Enkephalin regulates the levels of cyclic nucleotides in neuroblastoma × glioma hybrid cells

NARCOTICS do not normally occur in vivo . “Opiate receptors” must therefore have evolved to recognise endogenous ligands, which are mimicked by the opiates 1 . Indeed such compounds have been isolated 2–5 and their structure elucidated as that of the two pentapeptides leucine and methionine-enkephal...

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Published in:Nature (London) 1976-07, Vol.262 (5566), p.311-313
Main Authors: BRANDT, MICHAEL, GULLIS, ROBERT J., FISCHER, KARIN, BUCHEN, CLAUDIA, HAMPRECHT, BERND, MORÖDER, Luis, WÜNSCH, ERICH
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Humanities and Social Sciences
letter
multidisciplinary
Science
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Summary:NARCOTICS do not normally occur in vivo . “Opiate receptors” must therefore have evolved to recognise endogenous ligands, which are mimicked by the opiates 1 . Indeed such compounds have been isolated 2–5 and their structure elucidated as that of the two pentapeptides leucine and methionine-enkephalin 6 . Neuroblastoma × glioma hybrid cells 108CC15 display many properties characteristic of neurones 7 . In these cells morphine and other narcotics 8–10 prevent the increase in the level of cyclic AMP that is caused by prostaglandin E 1 (PGE 1 ) 11 . The opiates also increase the level of cyclic GMP in the hybrid cells 12 . On long term incubation with morphine, the hybrid cells show phenomena which can be interpreted as biochemical correlates of morphine tolerance, dependenceand withdrawal 9,13 . Here we report that leucine-enkephalin (leu-enk) has effects like those of opiates on the hybrid cells.
ISSN:0028-0836
1476-4687
DOI:10.1038/262311a0