ABSTRACT
The prodynorphin-derived opioids, dynorphin (DYN) and α-neoendorphin (αNE) were studied in 24 human phaeochromocytomas and related tumours. Nineteen tumours, extracted in HCl (0·1 mol/l), contained concentrations of immunoreactive DYN (ir-DYN) ranging from < 0·5 to 794 pmol/g wet weight. None of the extracts in HCl contained ir-αNE (all < 2·4 pmol/g). Sephadex G-50 gel filtration chromatography of ir-DYN in HCl (0·1 mol/l) extracts of six tumours revealed three small peaks of ir-DYN of higher molecular size (approximately 12 000, 6000 and 3000 daltons), a minor peak of ir-DYN eluting just after DYN(1–17), and a broad major peak, consisting of at least three components, which was significantly retarded and eluted after the salt volume of the column. High-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) of these extracts revealed multiple peaks of ir-DYN, most of which did not coelute with any synthetic DYN peptides. On both gel filtration chromatography and HPLC, one of the minor peaks coeluted with DYN(1–32). None of the peaks of ir-DYN coeluted with DYN(1–17) which had been acetylated using acetic anhydride.
Extracts of the same tumours in acetic acid (0·1 mol/l) yielded similar values for ir-DYN content, but parallelism in the assay was improved. Sephadex G-50 chromatography revealed a different pattern of ir-DYN with a major peak coeluting with DYN(1–17) and, in two tumours, a minor peak coeluting with DYN(1–8). Studies with HPLC revealed, however, that substantial degradation of synthetic DYN occurred during extraction in acetic acid (0·1 mol/l) in spite of the precautions taken.
Phaeochromocytomas frequently contain ir-DYN in concentrations which may approach that of the mammalian pituitary. These tumours did not, however, contain ir-αNE and, with the possible exception of a small amount of DYN(1–32), the ir-DYN present did not correspond with any known sequences. Thus, whilst prodynorphin is expressed in phaeochromocytomas, it does not seem to be processed to the usual end-products, and post-translational modifications therefore seem likely. Enzymatic degradation of DYN may occur during extraction in acetic acid (0·1 mol/l), and this medium should, therefore, be avoided in studies of such labile peptides.
J. Endocr. (1988) 117, 123–132
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