Receptor binding affinities enkephalin analogs

It appears from the spectral map that the K-receptor is a highly specific receptor which produces strong contrasts in binding affinities of opioid analgesics. The contrast is most evident in ketazocine, ethylketazocine and buprenorphine which possess much more affinity for the K-receptor than for the two others. The contrast is also strong with dihydromorphine, beta-endorphin, an enkephalin analog and two experimental compounds (LY and FK) which have little or no affinity for the K-receptor. 

Photoaffinity labels have also been investigated. These are enkephalin analogs containing a photosensitive group [e.g., 4-azidophenyl or 2-nitro-4-azidophenyl (NAP)] that form a covalent bond upon irradiation with UV light. Thus, both the peptide 11<37) and the Leu-enkephalins 12(38) bind strongly to brain membranes on photolysis, and the latter pair have been shown to cause a 20-30% inactivation of opioid receptors. Further work on affinity labels and related topics is described in the 1982 and 1983 reports of the International Narcotics Research Conference/39 ... 

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