Bombesin (trifluoroacetate salt) (Synonyms: Glp-Gln-Arg-LeuGly-Asn-GlnTrp-Ala-ValGly-His-LeuMet-NH2)

Bombesin is a neuropeptide with diverse biological activities originally isolated from the skin of B. bombina and B. variegata variegata amphibians.^1,2 It binds to the gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) in rat pancreatic acinar cells (K_i = 1.88 nM) and to frog bombesin receptor subtype 4 (BB₄) in CHO cells overexpressing the receptor (K_i = 1.7 nM).³ Hypothalamic paraventricular microinfusion of bombesin (100 ng per animal) increases blood glucose, free fatty acids, and corticosterone levels in rats.⁴ Bombesin (50 ng per animal) injection into the preoptic area decreases food intake by food-deprived or insulin pretreated rats.⁵ It delays gastric emptying in rats by 55.8% when administered at a dose of 16 μg/kg (i.p.) and inhibits gastric secretion at a dose of 500 ng per animal.^6,7

1.Anastasi, A., Erspamer, V., and Bucci, M.Isolation and structure of bombesin and alytesin, two analogous active peptides from the skin of the European amphibians Bombina and AlytesExperientia27(2)166-167(1971) 2.Weber, H.C.Regulation and signaling of human bombesin receptors and their biological effectsCurr. Opin. Endocrinol. Diabetes Obes.16(1)66-71(2009) 3.Pradhan, T.K., Katsuno, T., Taylor, J.E., et al.Identification of a unique ligand which has high affinity for all four bombesin receptor subtypesEur. J. Pharmacol.343(2-3)275-287(1998) 4.Gunion, M.W., TachÉ, Y., Rosenthal, M.J., et al.Bombesin microinfusion into the rat hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus increases blood glucose, free fatty acids and corticosteroneBrain Res.478(1)47-58(1989) 5.Babcock, A.M., Barton, C., Gunion, M.W., et al.Bombesin-induced hypothermia and hypophagia are associated with plasma metabolic fuel alterations in the ratPhysiol. Behav.51(5)933-938(1992) 6.Scarpignato, C., and Bertaccini, G.Bombesin delays gastric emptying in the ratDigestion21(2)104-106(1981) 7.Tache, Y., Lesiege, D., and Goto, Y.Neural pathways involved in intracisternal bombesin-induced inhibition of gastric secretion in ratsDig. Dis. Sci.31(4)412-417(1986)