Dynorphin peptides

Biosynthesis. Three separate genes encode the opioid peptides (see Fig. 1). Enkephalin is derived from preproenkephalin A, which contains six copies of Met-enkephalin and extended peptides, and one copy of Leu-enkephalin (62—66). ( -Endorphin is one of the many products of POMC, and represents the N-terminal 31 amino acids of P-Hpotropin (67,68). Three different dynorphin peptides are derived from the third opioid gene, preproenkephalin B, or preprodynorphin (69). The dynorphin peptides include dynorphin A, dynorphin B, and a-neo-endorphin. 

The opioid peptides vary in their binding affinities for the multiple opioid receptor types. Leu- and Met-enkephalin have a higher affinity for 5-receptors than for the other opioid receptor types (68), whereas the dynorphin peptides have a higher affinity for K-sites (69). P-Endorphin binds with equal affinity to both p- and 5-receptors, but binds with lower affinity to K-sites (70). The existence of a P-endorphin-selective receptor, the S-receptor, has been postulated whether this site is actually a separate P-endorphin-selective receptor or is a subtype of a classical opioid receptor is a matter of controversy (71,72). The existence of opioid receptor subtypes in general is quite controversial although there is some evidence for subtypes of p- (73), 5-(74), and K-receptors (72,75), confirmation of which may be obtained by future molecular cloning studies. 

Tan-No, K., Terenius, L., Silberring, J., and Nylander, I. (1997). Levels of dynorphin peptides in the central nervous system and pituitary gland of the spontaneously hypertensive rat. Neurochem. Int. 31, 27-32. 

At the time of the discovery of Met-enkephalin, its sequence was observed to be identical to that of residues 61—65 contained in the C-fragment of the pituitary hormone p-Hpotropin [12584-99-5] (p-LPH) (see Hormones), first isolated in 1964 (11). In 1976, the isolation of a larger peptide fragment, P-endorphin [60617-12-1] that also displayed opiate-like activity was reported (12). This peptide s 31-amino-acid sequence comprised residues 61—91 of P-LPH. Subsequentiy, another potent opioid peptide, dynorphin [72957-38-17, was isolated from pituitary (13). The first five amino acids (qv) of this 17-amino-acid peptide are identical to the Leu-enkephalin sequence (see Table 1). 

The Group III peptides come from the 256-amino acid precursor, pro-dynorphin [88402-55-5] (pro-enkephalin B). This group contains dynorphin A [80448-90-4] and B [85006-82-2] as weU as a-neoendorphin [77739-20-9] (Fig. 2), all of which can be further cleaved to form biologically active iatermediates, eg, dynorphin A g and P-neoendorphin [77739-21-0] (a-neoendorphin ) (28). The longer of these peptides are relatively basic because of the number of Lys and Arg residues. 

The endogenous peptide dynorphin and its C-terminally degraded fragments dynorphin A 3 and dynorphin A2 c, are somewhat K-selective... 

Dynorphin may also influence nociception at the spinal level. The levels of prodynorphin mRNA and immunoreactive dynorphin increase in the chronic inflammatory arthritic model (158). Dynorphin also inhibits morphine or P-endorphin-induced analgesia in naive animals and enhances analgesia in tolerant animals, indicating that this peptide may have a regulatory role in opioid analgesia (159). This effect does not appear to be mediated by a classical opioid receptor, since des-tyrosine dynorphin, which does not bind to opioid receptors, also antagonizes morphine analgesia (160). 

Litde is known about metaboHc inactivation of ( -endorphin and the dynorphins. NEP, and to a lesser extent APN, are only weaMy active against P-endorphin (183). Enzymes are known which degrade P-endorphin in vitro under nonphysiological conditions (202) or which inactivate P-endorphin by N-acetjlation (203). Alack of specific degradative enzymes for these peptides may account for their relatively long half-life in vivo though this has not been definitively estabUshed. 

A 17 amino acid long peptide sequentially related to opioid peptides in particular dynorphin A. OFQ/N is inactive at the 5, k, and p opioid receptors, but binds to its own NOP receptor (formerly ORL-1, for opioid receptor like-1). In contrast to opioid peptides, OFQ/N has no direct analgesic properties. OFQ/N is the first example for the discovery of a novel neurotransmitter from tissue extracts by using an orphan receptor as bait. Centrally administered in rodents, OFQ/N exerts anxiolytic properties. OFQ/N agonists and antagonists... 

Three endogenous opioids have been identified enkephalins, dynorphins and beta-endorphins. These opioid peptides selectively bind to the seven transmembrane GPCRs delta (8), kappa (k), and mu (p). Although dynorphin binds predominately to the k receptor, P-endorphines and enkephalins bind to p and 8 opioid receptors. It is important to note that the analgesia induced by opioids is mediated predominately throngh the p opioid receptor. In vitro studies have shown a decrease in the immnne function and proliferation following p-endorphin administration in rodents (Ray and Cohn 1999) and that the immunosuppressive effects by P-endorphins are steroid-independent (Berkenbosch et al. 1984 Nelson et al. 2000). 

Figure 15.9 Peptide modulation of striatal input to the globus pollidus. Enkephalin released from axon terminals of neurons of the indirect pathway (see Fig. 15.2 for details) is thought to inhibit GABA release from the same terminals so that feedback (auto) inhibition is reduced. This will free the neurons to inhibit the subthalamic nucleus (SThN) and its drive to GPint and SNr which in turn will have less inhibitory effect on cortico-thalamic traffic and possibly reduce akinesia. Dynorphin released from terminals of neurons of the direct pathway may also reduce glutamate release and excitation in the internal globus pallidus and further depress its inhibition of the cortico-thalamic pathway. High concentrations of these peptides may, however, result in dyskinesias. (See Henry and Brotchie 1996 and Maneuf et al. 1995)...

The opioid receptors are for the endogenous opioids, peptide transmitters, jS-endorphin, endomorphins, enkephalins, dynorphins and nociceptin. Thus all the problems of drugs based on peptides need to be overcome in order for the roles of these... 

RESPONSE Right. And we have asked ourselves the question because of the issue of coexistence, not only with substance P but with neurotensin and probably dynorphin. Is this the reason these things are changing Because if they are coexisting with dopamine projections and there is some alteration in dopamine, then maybe there is an intraneuronal action that results in the peptide changes. 

Herrera-Marschitx, M. Hokfelt, T. Ungerstedt, U. and Terenius, L. Funetional studies with the opioid peptide dynorphin Aeute effeets of injeetions into the substantia nigra retieulata of naive rats. Life Sci 33 555-558, 1983. 

Goldstein, A. Tachibana, S. Lowney, L.I. Hunkapiller, M. and Hood, L. Dynorphin-(l-13), an extraordinarily potent opioid peptide. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 76 6666-6670, 1979. 

Since the discovery of the enkephalins in 1975 [11] a large number of endogenous opioid peptides have been detected in mammals, and at present three distinct families of opioid peptides are known (for a review, See Ref. 12). These are the enkephalins, the endorphins (a-, (J-, and y-), and the dynorphins and neoendorphins. The recently discovered endomor-phins [13] also may represent endogenous opioid peptides. Peptides with opioid activity have also been isolated from tryptic digests of milk casein... 

Weisskopf M, Zalutsky R, Nicoll RA. The opioid peptide dynorphin mediates heterosynaptic depression of hippocampal mossy fibre synapses and modulates long-term potentiation. Nature 1993 365 188-190. 

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