Synthesis of porcine leumorphin and some of its biological activities

Abstract

The carboxy-terminal nonacosapeptide sequence of porcine preproenkephalin B contains the sequence of Leu-enkephalin at its amino terminus. The endogenous existence of this peptide, leumorphin, has not yet been proved. Synthesis of leumorphin was carried out by a solid-phase technique and the purity and structure of the synthetic peptide were confirmed. Synthetic porcine leumorphin exhibited a dose-dependent opiate effect (ED50 4.70 X 10(-9) M) on electrically stimulated contraction of the guinea pig ileum preparation. The potency was about 100 times as high as that of Leu-enkephalin. Leumorphin was less potent than dynorphin(1-13) (ED50 0.38 X 10(-9) M) but it was more active than beta h-endorphin (ED50 18 X 10(-9) M). The opiate activity was only partially reversed by naloxone. Intracisternal injection of synthetic leumorphin caused significant analgesia in mice (ED50 7.31 nmol/mouse). The potency was lower than that of beta h-endorphin (ED50 0.60 nmol/mouse) but higher than that of dynorphin(1-13) (ED50 16.10 nmol/mouse). Intracisternally injected leumorphin did not produce such a violent behavioral effect as did dynorphin(1-13), and it exhibited a mild sedative effect. The data supports the concept that leumorphin is a new type of opioid peptide and that the synthetic preparation will be useful for further biological and immunological studies on this peptide.