This Article Full Text (PDF) Submit a related Letter to the Editor Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Copyright Permission Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Uberti, E. C. D. Articles by Pansini, R. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Uberti, E. C. D. Articles by Pansini, R.

Prolactin-Releasing Activity of Dermorphin, a New Synthetic Potent Opiate-Like Peptide, in Normal Human Subjects^*

Institute of Clinical Medicine, and Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Ferrara, 44100 Ferrara, Italy

Address correspondence and requests for reprints to: Dr. Ettore C. degli Uberti, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Ferrara, I-44100 Ferrara, Italy.

Dermorphins (D) are heptapeptides (H-Tyr-DAla-Phe-Gly-Tyr-X-Ser-NH₂; X, Pro or Hyp) with powerful central and peripheral opiate-like activity, originally isolated from the skin of South American frogs. To study the effect of a synthetic D on PRL secretion in man, either D (5.5 µg/kg · min for 30 min) or D-placebo (0.9% saline) infusion over 30 min was administered iv in random sequence to 11 volunteers (6 women and 5 men). In all the subjects, D induced a significant increase in the levels of PRL, more consistently in women than in men. To investigate whether the increase in PRL was due to the opiate agonist properties of D, the study was repeated in the same subjects during naloxone infusion. The PRL response to D was completely suppressed, suggesting that the peptide exerts its effect on PRL release via an opiate receptor stimulation of the µ-type. These data allow us to conclude that D may affect PRL release in humans; however, further investigation is necessary before any physiological significance might be attributed to D in man. (J Clin Endocrinol Metab 56: 1032, 1983)

^* This work was presented in part at the 19th National Congress of the Italian Society of Endocrinology, Genova, Italy, May 11–14,1982.

Received August 3, 1982.