Substance P modulation of the membrane potential of the Schwann cell of the squid giant nerve fibre.

Substance P produced a dose-dependent, long-lasting hyperpolarization of the membrane of the Schwann cells of the giant nerve fibre of the tropical squid. A survey of the effectiveness of a range of other naturally occurring tachykinin agonists suggested that the receptors present on the squid Schwann cell belong to the subtype SP-P or NK1, for which substance P is the preferred agonist. A survey of the effectiveness of a range of substance P fragments indicated that the direct hyperpolarizing effects of the substance P molecule were mediated by peptides with an intact amidated C-terminal. However, a second subset of receptors that can be activated by N-terminal fragments and analogues lacking an amidated C-terminal was also present in this preparation. The non-subtype-specific antagonist D-Arg1,D-Trp7,9,Leu11 substance P (spantide) was a potent blocker of the effects of substance P in this preparation. Activation of the substance P receptors did not interact with the effects induced by activation of either the nicotinic cholinergic receptors or octopaminergic receptors present in this preparation. However, it did potentiate the effects of activation of the receptors for vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), either in response to bath application of the peptide or due to their activation by the release of an endogenous VIP-like peptide after stimulation of the giant axon.