High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of pulmonary metabolites of Leu- and Met-enkephalins in isolated perfused rat lung

Article abstract of DOI:10.1002/jps.2600740923

A high-performance liquid radiochromatographic analytical system has been developed which allows the determination of [³H]Leu-enkephalin, [³H]Met-enkephalin and their potential metabolites [³H]TyrGlyGlyPhe, [³H]TyrGlyGly, [³H]TyrGly and [³H]tyrosine. Using this procedure, the biotransformation of each of the above enkephalins after 20 min of recirculating transit through isolated perfused rat lungs resulted in the formation of two major metabolites: tyrosine and TyrGlyGly in each case. The results indicate that significant metabolism of enkephalins may occur in the pulmonary circulation.