Co-localization and characterization of immunoreactive peptides derived from two opioid precursors in guinea pig adrenal glands.

Peptides derived from both proenkephalin and prodynorphin have been identified in guinea pig adrenal medulla. In extracts of whole adrenal glands radioimmunoassays directed to the prodynorphin-derived peptides alpha-neoendorphin, dynorphin A, and dynorphin B detected high concentrations of immunoreactive material ranging from 113 to 216 pmol/gm. The concentrations measured by radioimmunoassays directed to the proenkephalin products met-enkephalin-Arg-Gly-Leu and met-enkephalin-Arg-Phe were 878 and 484 pmol/gm, respectively. No metorphamide or dynorphin(1-8) could be detected in the adrenals. Leucine-enkephalin immunoreactivity which can be generated from either prodynorphin or proenkephalin could also be measured in the extracts. Gel filtration showed the immunoreactive material, with the exception of that measured by the alpha-neoendorphin radioimmunoassay, to be predominantly of high molecular weight ranging from Mr = 3,000 to 12,000. Immunocytochemistry, using well characterized antisera to alpha-neoendorphin and met-enkephalin-Arg-Gly-Leu, demonstrated that the prodynorphin and proenkephalin products were present in the same cells in the medulla region of the gland. The results show that two opioid peptide precursors can be localized in the same cells and exhibit some common features in their processing. As a relatively homogeneous, localized system, the guinea pig adrenal gland should prove a valuable, in vivo model for the study of co-localized opioid precursors.