| abstract |
UI (Urotensin I) or white sucker urotensin, obtained from Catostomus commersoni, has the formula: H-Asn-Asp-Asp-Pro-Pro-Ile-Ser-Ile-Asp-Leu-Thr-Phe-His-Leu-Leu-Arg-Asn-Met-Ile-Glu-Met-Ala-Arg-Ile-Glu-Asn-Glu-Arg-Glu-Gln-Ala-Gly-Leu-Asn-Arg-Lys-Tyr-Leu-Asp-Glu-Val-NH 2 . Analogs have been synthesized that are at least as potent as UI, and UI or such an analog or a fragment of either or a pharmaceutically acceptable salts of any of the foregoing, dispersed in a pharmaceutically acceptable liquid or solid carrier, can be administered to mammals to achieve a substantial elevation of ACTH, β-endorphin, β-lipotropin and corticosterone levels and/or an increase in intestinal blood flow and/or a lowering of systemic blood pressure and/or a changing of regional blood distribution over an extended period of time. In the analogs, one or more of the first three N-terminal residues is deleted and substituted by a peptide fragment up to 5 amino acids long and/or an acylating agent containing up to 7 carbon atoms is added at the N-terminal. |