Enkephalins have a direct positive inotropic effect on cultured cardiac myocytes

Enkephalins have peripheral vascular effects, and enkephalinergic innervation of the heart has been reported. To determine whether enkephalins have direct effects on myocardium, we studied the effects of [D-Ala2, Met5]enkephalinamide and [D-Ala2, D-Leu5]enkephalin on amplitude of contraction (measured with an optical-video system) in spontaneously beating monolayer cultures of chicken embryo ventricular cells, a preparation devoid of intact neural elements. [D-Ala2, Met5]enkephalinamide and [D-Ala2, D-Leu5]enkephalin as well as [Met5]- and [Leu5]enkephalin increased contractility in a concentration-dependent manner. The enkephalin-induced maximal contractile effects were 28% and 30% above control, with EC50 values of 0.53 and 0.17 microM for [D-Ala2, Met5]enkephalinamide and [D-Ala2, D-Leu5]enkephalin, respectively. The positive inotropic effect was antagonized by naloxone but not by propranolol, phentolamine, diphenhydramine, or cimetidine. Naloxone alone had no effect on contractility at a concentration (0.1 microM) that blocked positive inotropic effects of [D-Ala2, Met5]enkephalinamide and [D-Ala2, D-Leu5]enkephalin. To demonstrate the presence of opiate receptors, we studied [3H]naloxone binding in homogenates of cultured chicken embryo ventricular cells. Analysis of binding curves under equilibrium conditions indicated that [3H]naloxone bound specifically to membranes of cultured heart cells with KD = 18.5 +/- 5.4 nM and Bmax = 46.8 +/- 11.7 fmol/mg of protein. We conclude that enkephalins exert a direct positive inotropic effect on cultured heart cells, increasing contractile state via specific opiate receptors.