Inhibition of Na/Ca exchange by Phe-Met-Arg-Phe-NH2 (FMRFa)-related peptides in intact rat pancreatic B-cells.

Abstract

Phe-Met-Arg-Phe-NH2 (FMRFa)-related peptides were recently shown to inhibit Na/Ca exchange in cardiac sarcolemmal vesicles. In the present study, we examined the effects of FMRFa-related peptides on Na/Ca exchange in intact (pancreatic B) cells. At 2.8 mM glucose, FMRFa-related peptides only weakly inhibited Na/Ca exchange although their effect was more marked under depolarizing conditions. The peptides blocked neither the Na/K-ATPase nor Ca2+ channels but slightly reduced membrane K+ permeability. Our data indicate that FMRFa-related peptides are weak and non-specific inhibitors of Na/Ca exchange in intact B cells. The data do not confirm the view that the peptides may exert some of their physiological modulatory role by inhibiting Na/Ca exchange.Journal ArticleResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov'tinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe