[The role of the N-terminal of the substance P molecule in its action in stress-related behavioral and blood pressure disorders].

Substance P and the N-terminal sequences SP1-9, SP1-7, SP1-4 and SP1-2 were investigated in their action on stress related alterations in blood pressure behaviour, stress related disturbances in conditioned reflex learning behaviour, alterations in the endogenous opioid system and on the blood pressure behaviour of spontaneously hypertensive rats. In addition the occurrence of vegetative effects such as acute hypertension and histamine release from mast cells were investigated. The results of this work show that N- and C-terminal sequences of the Substance P molecule differ in their actions. Whereas the vegetative effects decrease if the SP molecule is shortened from the C to the N-terminus the "antistress effect" of the Substance P molecule remains unchanged. Whereas the N-terminal tetrapeptide SP1-4 can be considered "essential" for the "antistress effect", the C-terminal pentapeptide of SP is considered to be the "essential sequence" for the vegetative effects. These results will open new possibilities for the synthesis of selectively acting SP-agonists.