A myth about the „potent cardiostimulating“ action of insect neuropeptides has been unfounded

0376155 - BC 2013 RIV CZ eng C - Conference Paper (international conference)
Sláma, Karel
A myth about the „potent cardiostimulating“ action of insect neuropeptides has been unfounded.
Collection Symposium Series. Vol. 13. Praha: Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, 2011 - (Slaninová, J.; Valter, B.), s. 130-135. ISBN 978-80-86241-44-9.
[Biologically Active Peptides. Conference /12./. Praha (CZ), 27.04.2011-29.04.2011]
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50070508
Keywords : cardioactive neuropeptides * myogenic heartbeat * insect electrocardiography
Subject RIV: ED - Physiology

Chemists and biochemists isolating or synthesizing insect neuropeptides used to create a myth about “potent cardiostimulating” properties of these peptides. The myth was motivated by a tendency to gain professional importance and scientific merit of their work. Crucial arguments in favour of the idea were obtained by simple, largely nonspecific, in vitro bioassays performed on isolated hearts of cockroaches in saline. These assays gave positive responses to a wide range of low molecular compounds as well as to most peptides tested. Our attempts to solve this problem started by development of new touch-free electrocardiographic methods for monitoring the heartbeat of unrestrained insects. Extensive in vivo recordings revealed that the tentatively “cardioactive” neuropeptides had no cardiostimulating activity under physiological conditions. Intimate similarities appeared between regulation of insect and human hearts. Accordingly, a cardioactive peptide does not exist in human medicine as well. Specific electrocardiographic methods were invented for testing new cardioactive pharmacological preparations on easily available insect material.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0208636