A comparative study of neurotensin inactivation by brain peptidases from different vertebrate species

The products formed from mammalian neurotensin by peptidases in two subcellular fractions from rat, mouse, dove, terrapin and goldfish brain were separated and identified using high-performance liquid chromatography. The main neurotensin metabolites were [1-8]-, [1-10]- and [1-7]-sequences; goldfish and terrapin brain fractions also produced [1-11]- and [1-12]-fragments. Avian neurotensin was cleaved by peptidases in rat and dove brain fractions to [1-8]-, [9-13]-, [1-10]- and [1-12]-fragments. Similar mechanisms of inactivation were found for both mammalian and avian neurotensins .