Opioid agonist activity of ICI 174864 and its carboxypeptidase degradation product, LY281217

The opioid peptide antagonist, ICI 174864 ([allyl]2-Tyr-alpha-amino-isobutyric acid (Aib)-Aib-Phe-Leu-OH), can produce analgesic effects in mice. The present study explored the possibility that ICI 174864 1) may have affinity and agonist efficacy at mu receptors and/or 2) may form a Carboxypeptidase degradation product in vivo that possesses mu agonist activity. In vitro, ICI 174864 (10(-7) to 10(-4) M) inhibited the twitch in the electrically stimulated mouse vas deferens (ED50 = 90 microM) and guinea pig ileum (ED50 greater than 10(-4) M). The in vitro partial agonist activity of ICI 174864 was due to interaction with delta and not mu receptors because the apparent dissociation constant for naloxone using ICI 174864 as the agonist was similar to the apparent dissociation constant for the interaction of naloxone with delta and not mu receptors. Thus, ICI 174864 is a weak partial agonist at delta receptors with little affinity or efficacy at mu receptors. The incubation of ICI 174864 with Carboxypeptidase A generated a peptide, LY281217 [(allyl)2-Tyr-Aib-Aib-Phe-OH], which was a more potent agonist in the mouse vas deferens and guinea pig ileum than ICI 174864. The agonist activity of LY281217 was due to interaction with mu and not delta receptors because LY281217 was approximately 100-fold more potent than ICI 174864 as an agonist in the guinea pig ileum, the apparent dissociation constant for naloxone using LY281217 as the agonist was similar to the apparent dissociation constant for the interaction of naloxone with mu receptors and the delta selective antagonist.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)