A synthetic peptide that is a bombesin receptor antagonist

Abstract

The tetradecapeptide bombesin was originally isolated from frog skin. Bombesin-like peptides have since been detected in mammalian gastrointestinal tract, brain and lung. These peptides have potent pharmacological effects on the central nervous system; they cause contraction of intestinal, uterine and urinary tract smooth muscle; and stimulate the release of other peptides including gastrin, cholecystokinin, motilin, pancreatic polypeptide, neurotensin, insulin, enteroglucagon, prolactin and growth hormone. Specific plasma membrane receptors for bombesin have been demonstrated on pancreatic acinar cells, brain membranes and pituitary cells. Studies defining the physiological importance of bombesin have been impeded by the lack of a bombesin receptor antagonist. Here we describe experiments which demonstrate that a peptide originally described as a substance P receptor antagonist, [D-Arg, D-Pro, D-Trp, Leu ]substance P, is also a bombesin receptor antagonist. This peptide competitively inhibits the ability of bombesin to stimulate enzyme secretion from dispersed pancreatic acini, and also inhibits the action of other peptides that interact with the bombesin receptor.