Circulating [Met]enkephalin and catecholamine responses to acute hypotension and hypertension in anaesthetized greyhounds

1 The effects of either hypotension induced by sodium nitroprusside or hexamethonium or hypertension produced by angiotensin II or noradrenaline on the circulating levels of methionine enkephalin ([Met]enkephalin)‐like immunoreactivity (MLI), adrenaline and noradrenaline in anaesthetized greyhounds were examined. 2 Nitroprusside infusions (200 and 400 μg min−1) induced a fall in blood pressure accompanied by significant rises in plasma MLI and catecholamine concentrations. 3 Concomitant administration of a high dose of naloxone did not alter the fall in blood pressure produced by nitroprusside but was associated with greater rises in circulating MLI and catecholamines when compared to nitroprusside alone, suggesting that [Met]enkephalin is not involved in the hypotensive action of nitroprusside. 4 Intravenous hexamethonium (2.5 mg kg−1) provoked a fall in blood pressure which was not associated with any changes in plasma MLI. However, it produced a fall in plasma noradrenaline and a rise in plasma adrenaline. Thus it appears that neural mechanisms are required, at least in part, for the release of MLI. 5 Angiotensin II (1.25 μg kg−1 min−1) and noradrenaline (8 μg kg−1 min−1) infusions produced an elevation in blood pressure without altering the circulating MLI levels. 6 Study of the molecular forms of circulating MLI, before and during hypotension, revealed that the large molecular weight enkephalin‐containing peptides with approximate molecular sizes of 18kD and 8kD were the predominant forms both in the basal and stimulated states. 7 It is concluded that circulating [Met]enkephalin is not involved in the tonic control of blood pressure but it may modulate catecholamine release following hypotension as part of the stress response.