Actions of vasopressin, gastrin releasing peptide and other peptides on neurons on newborn rat spinal cord in vitro.

The actions of various peptides were studied using isolated spinal cord preparation of newborn rat. Vasopressin, substance P, thyrotropin releasing hormone, bombesin, gastrin releasing peptide, oxytocin, neurotensin, cholecystokinin-octapeptide and angiotensin II produced marked depolarizing responses of motoneurons with threshold concentrations of 5 X 10(-10)--8 X 10(-9) M. After the elimination of transsynaptic action by tetrodotoxin, the actions of these peptides were depressed to various extents, the former 5 peptides producing relatively large responses. Somatostatin and enkephalin depressed the dorsal root potential and produced slight hyperpolarization of dorsal root fibers. It is suggested that many of these peptides play important roles in synaptic transmission in mammalian spinal cord.