The tachykinin peptide family

The tachykinin peptide family certainly represents one of the largest peptide families described in the animal organism. So far, more than 40 tachykinins have been isolated from invertebrate (insects, worms, and molluscs), protochordate, and vertebrate (skin, gastrointestinal tract, peripheral and central nervous system) tissues. Substance P (SP), first identified by bioassay as early as 1931 but sequenced only in 1971, several years after the elucidation of the structure of eledoisin from molluscan tissues and of physalaemin from amphibian skin, may be considered as a prototype of the tachykinins. Hitherto, as many as 19 tachykinins have been isolated from amphibian integument, and eight additional peptides have been isolated from amphibian gut and brain. Counterparts of skin tachykinins in mammalian tissues are SP, neurokinin A, and neurokinin B. Three main receptor subtypes for the tachykinins have been identified (NK1, NK2, and NK3), but their number is probably destined to increase. It is obvious that the peripheral and central effects of the tachykinins may substantially vary depending on the activation of different receptor subtypes. Matters are further complicated by the frequent capacity of the single tachykinins to bind, although with different affinity, to more receptors. It has been recognized that tachykinins have a variety of effects in physiological and pathological conditions, and there is evidence suggesting intrinsic neuroprotective and neurodegenerative properties of these neuropeptides. This review provides an update on the current body of knowledge regarding tachykinin occurrence and distribution in the animal kingdom, from the lowest invertebrates to man, and the physiological and pharmacological actions of tachykinins outlining the pregnant importance of this large peptide family.

The Tachykinin Peptide Family

1. Substance P (SP) induces histamine release from isolated rat peritoneal mast cells at concentrations of 0.1-10 muM.2. Inhibitors of glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation prevent the release of histamine induced by SP.3. Cells heated to 47 degrees C for 20 min release histamine when treated with an agent causing cell lysis but fail to release in response to SP.4. SP does not release histamine by interacting with cell-bound IgE.5. Histamine release by SP is rapid, with more than 90% of the response occurring within 1 min of the addition of the peptide to mast cells at 37 degrees C.6. Substance P, unlike antigen-antibody or compound 48/80, does not show enhanced release of histamine when calcium (0.1-1 mM) is present in the extracellular medium but calcium increases the response to SP when the ion is added after the peptide. Extracellular calcium (0.1-1 mM), magnesium (1-10 mM) and cobalt (0.01-0.1 mM) all inhibit SP-induced histamine release when added before the peptide. Pre-treatment of the cells with EDTA (10 mM) and washing in calcium-free medium inhibits the histamine release induced by SP.7. Histamine release induced by SP was optimum at an extracellular pH of 7.2.8. A number of peptides structurally related to SP were examined for histamine-releasing activity. At the concentrations tested, the N-terminal dipeptides Lys-Pro and Arg-Pro, tuftsin, physalaemin, eledoisin, SP(3-11), SP(4-11) and [p-Glu(6), p-amino Phe(7)]-SP(6-11) were all found to be inactive. The relative activities of the other peptides were: [Formula: see text]9. Rat basophilic leukaemia cells (RBL-2H3) fail to respond to SP at concentrations which activate rat mast cells. Release of 5-hydroxytryptamine by immunological activation of RBL cells is not changed by the presence of SP.10. The mechanism of action of SP on mast cells and the nature of the SP receptor on mast cells is discussed in relation to SP receptors in other cell types.

The effects of substance P on histamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine release in the rat

Tachykinins in the gut. Part II. Roles in neural excitation, secretion and inflammation.

Are the proposed substance P receptor sub-types, substance P receptors?

1 The effects of substance P and related peptides on amylase release from rat parotid gland slices have been investigated. 2 Supramaximal concentrations (1 microM) of substance P caused enhancement of amylase release over the basal level within 1 min; this lasted for at least 40 min at 30 degrees C. 3 Substance P-stimulated amylase release was partially dependent on extracellular calcium and could be inhibited by 50% upon removal of extracellular calcium. 4 Substance P stimulated amylase release in a dose-dependent manner with an ED50 of 18 nM. 5 All C-terminal fragments of substance P were less potent than substance P in stimulating amylase release. The C-terminal hexapeptide of substance P was the minimum structure for potent activity in this system, having 1/3 to 1/8 the potency of substance P. There was a dramatic drop in potency for the C-terminal pentapeptide of substance P or substance P free acid. Physalaemin was more potent than substance P (ED50 = 7 nM), eledoisin was about equipotent with substance P (ED50 = 17 nM), and kassinin less potent that substance P (ED50 = 150 nM). 6 The structure-activity profile observed is very similar to that for stimulation of salivation in vivo, indicating that the same receptors are involved in mediating these responses. 7 All the fragments of substance P tested were capable of eliciting a full amylase release response. This indicates that the apparent partial agonist action of the C-terminal nonapeptide fragment on in vivo salivation is not explicable at the receptor level.

C.L. Brown

Papers

THE EFFECTS OF SUBSTANCE P AND RELATED PEPTIDES ON α-AMYLASE RELEASE FROM RAT PAROTID GLAND SLICES