Lysine substitution increases mu-selectivity of potent di- and tri-peptide enkephalin analogs

A general trend toward increased mu-selectivity has been reported in two classes of minimal structure enkephalin analogs which contain the essential structural and functional information for potent enkephalin-like biological activity. A single Lys residue added to the amino terminal of several tripeptide amides, and to the potent dipeptide amide Tyr-DAla-phenylpropylamide, causes a further increase in mu-selectivity as determined in the stimulated guinea pig ileum (GPI) and mouse vas deferens (MVD) assays, and in receptor binding studies in homogenates of guinea pig brain. The effect of Lys substitution was a significant decrease in the delta-related MVD potencies.