Catabolism of substance P and neurotensin in the rat stomach wall is susceptible to inhibitors of angiotensin converting enzyme

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the pathway of substance P (SP) and neurotensin (NT) catabolism in the gastric wall of the rat and identify some of the enzymes involved. Under anaesthesia an infusion catheter and a bundle of dialysis fibres were implanted into the stomach wall of the rat. Experiments commenced on conscious rats 2 days after surgery. In control experiments [³H]-SP(Pro-2,4) or [³H]-NT(Tyr-3,11) were injected into gastric tissues through the catheter and catabolites were collected in the dialysis fibres and separated by high pressure liquid chromatography. In other studies captopril, MK422 (inhibitors of angiotensin converting enzyme) or phosphoramidon (an inhibitor of endopeptidase-24.11, 'enkephalinase') were injected into gastric tissues before the peptide label. SP1-11 was degraded to mainly SP1-2, SP3-4 with some SP1-6, SP1-7 and SP1-8. Catabolism was partially but significantly (5% level) inhibited by MK422 and captopril, but not by phosphoramidon. NT1-13 was degraded to NT1-8, NT9-13, NT1-11 and NT1-12. NT catabolism was partially but significantly (5% level) inhibited by MK422. It is concluded that an enzyme resembling angiotensin converting enzyme is involved in the initial stages of SP and NT catabolism in the rat stomach. The involvement of other peptidases cannot be excluded because inhibition of breakdown was not complete.