Abstract
Since the enkephalins were first isolated1 a number of opioid peptides have been discovered, including a heptapeptide with the sequence Tyr-Gly-Gly-Phe-Met-Arg-Phe (Met-enkephalin-Arg6-Phe7)2. The heptapeptide was first isolated from chromaffin granules in bovine adrenal medulla, but using immunochemical techniques it has now been identified in human, rat and bovine brains3,4. The C-terminal tetrapeptide of this molecule (Phe-Met-Arg-Phe) occurs in amidated form as the molluscan peptide FMRFamide5. Antisera raised against FMRFamide have revealed immunoreactive material in the brains of several vertebrate species6, including the rat where it occurs in nerve cell bodies and terminals7–9. I now report that ionophoretically applied FMRFamide has an excitatory effect on rat medullary neurones which is unaffected by the opiate antagonist naloxone. In contrast, Met-enkephalin-Arg6-Phe7 and leucine-enkephalin (Leu-enkephalin) have predominantly depressant effects, which suggests that FMRFamide acts at a separate receptor.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Hughes, J. et al. Nature 258, 577–579 (1975).
Stern, A. S. et al. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 76, 6680–6683 (1979).
Stern, A. S. et al. Archs Biochem. Biophys. 205, 606–613 (1980).
Rossier, J., Audigier, Y., Ling, N., Cros, J. & Udenfriend, S. Nature 288, 88–89 (1980).
Price, D. A. & Greenberg, M. J. Science 197, 670–671 (1977).
Boer, H. H., Schot, L. P. C., Veenstra, J. A. & Reichelt, D. Cell Tissue Res. 213, 21–27 (1980).
Dockray, G. J., Vaillant, C. & Williams, R. G. Nature 293, 565–657 (1981).
Weber, E., Evans, C. J., Sameulsson, S. J. & Barchas, J. D. Science 214, 1248–1250 (1982).
Dockray, G. J., Williams, R. G., Vaillant, C. & Gayton, R. J. Peptides 2 Suppl 2, 25–30 (1982).
Williams, R. G. & Dockray, G. J. Brain Res. 240, 167–170 (1982).
Inturissi, C. E. et al. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 77, 5512–5514 (1980).
Gayton, R. J., Lambert, L. A. & Bradley, P. Neuropharmacology 17, 549–551 (1978).
North, R. A. Life Sci. 24, 1527–1546 (1979).
Nicoll, R. A., Siggins, G. R., Ling, N., Bloom, F. E. & Guillemin, R. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 74, 2584–2588 (1977).
Bramwell, G. J. & Bradley, P. B. Brain Res. 73, 167–170 (1974).
Cottrell, G. A. J. Physiol., Lond. 284, 130–131P (1978).
Voigt, K. H., Kiehling, C., Frosch, D., Schiebe, M. & Martin, R. Neurosci. Lett. 27, 25–30 (1981).
Brownstein, M. J. Nature 287, 678–679 (1980).
Gubler, U., Seeburg, P., Hoffman, B. J., Gage, L. P. & Udenfriend, S. Nature 295, 206–208 (1982).
Moda, M. et al. Nature 295, 202–206 (1982).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gayton, R. Mammalian neuronal actions of FMRFamide and the structurally related opioid Met-enkephalin- Arg6-Phe7. Nature 298, 275–276 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1038/298275a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/298275a0
This article is cited by
-
Colocalization of neuropeptide Y (NPY)-like and FMRFamide-like immunoreactivities in the brain of the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)
Cell and Tissue Research (1992)
-
Immunocytochemical distribution of FMRFamide-like substance in the brain of the cloudy dogfish, Scyliorhinus torazame
Cell & Tissue Research (1991)
-
Distribution of FMRFamide-like immunoreactivity in the brain, retina and nervus terminalis of the sockeye salmon parr, Oncorhynchus nerka
Cell and Tissue Research (1990)
-
Bioactivity of FMRFamide and related peptides on a contractile system of the coelenterateRenilla k�llikeri
Journal of Comparative Physiology B (1987)
-
FMRF-amide immunoreactivity in the mammalian gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine system
Histochemistry (1986)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.