Abstract
1. Salivary gland homogenates of the blood-sucking bug, Rhodnius prolixus induced transient, dose-dependent relaxation of rabbit aortic preparations pre-constricted with 200 ng ml-1 noradrenaline, 1 μg ml-1 histamine or 20 ng ml-1 angiotensin II. Such relaxations were less marked when the aorta was constricted by 60 mM KCl. These effects were observed with as little as 0.2 μg ml-1 of crude salivary gland protein. 2. The vasodilator effect was endothelium-independent, abolished by 50 μM hydroquinone or 50 μM methylene blue, and potentiated by 30 u ml-1 superoxide dismutase. 3. Salivary homogenates generated a coloured compound when reacted with sulfanilic acid in the presence of N-(1-naphtyl)-ethylediamine, indicating the presence of reactive nitrogen groups, equivalent to 35 ± 3 ng of sodium nitrite per pair of glands. 4. Molecular sieving high performance liquid chromatography of salivary gland homogenates generated a single peak of vasorelaxant activity which coincided with the presence of platelet antiaggregating and spasmolytic (guinea-pig ileum contracted with histamine) activities, as well as with reactive nitrogen groups. 5. It is concluded that a protein of molecular weight 16,500 daltons in the salivary glands of R. prolixus contains reactive nitrogen groups which assist the bug during a blood meal. It is suggested that saliva of blood sucking arthropods is a natural resource of novel pharmacological activities.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 932-936 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | British Journal of Pharmacology |
| Volume | 101 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1 1990 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pharmacology
Cite this
A salivary vasodilator in the blood-sucking bug, Rhodnius prolixus. / Ribeiro, J. M.C.; Marinotti, O.; Gonzales, Rayna J.
In: British Journal of Pharmacology, Vol. 101, No. 4, 01.01.1990, p. 932-936.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - A salivary vasodilator in the blood-sucking bug, Rhodnius prolixus
AU - Ribeiro, J. M.C.
AU - Marinotti, O.
AU - Gonzales, Rayna J
PY - 1990/1/1
Y1 - 1990/1/1
N2 - 1. Salivary gland homogenates of the blood-sucking bug, Rhodnius prolixus induced transient, dose-dependent relaxation of rabbit aortic preparations pre-constricted with 200 ng ml-1 noradrenaline, 1 μg ml-1 histamine or 20 ng ml-1 angiotensin II. Such relaxations were less marked when the aorta was constricted by 60 mM KCl. These effects were observed with as little as 0.2 μg ml-1 of crude salivary gland protein. 2. The vasodilator effect was endothelium-independent, abolished by 50 μM hydroquinone or 50 μM methylene blue, and potentiated by 30 u ml-1 superoxide dismutase. 3. Salivary homogenates generated a coloured compound when reacted with sulfanilic acid in the presence of N-(1-naphtyl)-ethylediamine, indicating the presence of reactive nitrogen groups, equivalent to 35 ± 3 ng of sodium nitrite per pair of glands. 4. Molecular sieving high performance liquid chromatography of salivary gland homogenates generated a single peak of vasorelaxant activity which coincided with the presence of platelet antiaggregating and spasmolytic (guinea-pig ileum contracted with histamine) activities, as well as with reactive nitrogen groups. 5. It is concluded that a protein of molecular weight 16,500 daltons in the salivary glands of R. prolixus contains reactive nitrogen groups which assist the bug during a blood meal. It is suggested that saliva of blood sucking arthropods is a natural resource of novel pharmacological activities.
AB - 1. Salivary gland homogenates of the blood-sucking bug, Rhodnius prolixus induced transient, dose-dependent relaxation of rabbit aortic preparations pre-constricted with 200 ng ml-1 noradrenaline, 1 μg ml-1 histamine or 20 ng ml-1 angiotensin II. Such relaxations were less marked when the aorta was constricted by 60 mM KCl. These effects were observed with as little as 0.2 μg ml-1 of crude salivary gland protein. 2. The vasodilator effect was endothelium-independent, abolished by 50 μM hydroquinone or 50 μM methylene blue, and potentiated by 30 u ml-1 superoxide dismutase. 3. Salivary homogenates generated a coloured compound when reacted with sulfanilic acid in the presence of N-(1-naphtyl)-ethylediamine, indicating the presence of reactive nitrogen groups, equivalent to 35 ± 3 ng of sodium nitrite per pair of glands. 4. Molecular sieving high performance liquid chromatography of salivary gland homogenates generated a single peak of vasorelaxant activity which coincided with the presence of platelet antiaggregating and spasmolytic (guinea-pig ileum contracted with histamine) activities, as well as with reactive nitrogen groups. 5. It is concluded that a protein of molecular weight 16,500 daltons in the salivary glands of R. prolixus contains reactive nitrogen groups which assist the bug during a blood meal. It is suggested that saliva of blood sucking arthropods is a natural resource of novel pharmacological activities.
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U2 - 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1990.tb14183.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1990.tb14183.x
M3 - Article
VL - 101
SP - 932
EP - 936
JO - British Journal of Pharmacology
JF - British Journal of Pharmacology
SN - 0007-1188
IS - 4
ER -