The chemical nature of a pancreatic cardiodepressant factor

The presence of a cardiodepressant factor of pancreatic origin has been reported in the plasma of experimental animals and man in a variety of shock states. It has been suggested that the depression of developed tension of the isolated cat papillary muscle may be caused by excess NaCl in the bathing medium rather than a specific cardiodepressant peptide. Incubated pancreatic homogenate was used as a source of this factor, and after protein precipitation, ultrafiltration (10,00 and 1,000 MW), dialysis and lyophilization, the residue was applied to a Sephadex G-10 column in order to ensure the removal of all salts. The protein effluent of the Sephadex column contained all the cardiodepressant activity of the filtered, dialyzed pancreatic homogenate and none of the salt content. To further isolate this cardiodepressant factor, the active residue was applied to a cellulose column and eluted with butanol: glacial acetic acid: water (25:26 v/v/v). This elution gave 8 distinct peptide peaks, one of which, peak 4, contained significant depressant activity. Thus, a cardiodepressant peptide of approximately 250-1,000 MW exists in pancreatic homogenates and this compound is not excess NaCl in the assay system.