NdWFamide: A novel excitatory peptide involved in cardiovascular regulation of Aplysia

Although diverse peptides are known to affect invertebrate cardiac activity . the peptidergic regulation of the cardiovascular system of Aplysia is sti ll poorly understood. Asn-D-Trp-Phe-NH2 (NdWFamide) is a recently purified cardioactive peptide in Aplysia. Pharmacological experiments showed that Nd WFamide was one of the most potent cardioexcitatory peptides among the know n endogenous cardioactive peptides in Aplysia. NdWFamide-immunopositive neu ronal processes were abundant in the cardiovascular region of Aplysia, and many of them originated from neurosecretory cells in the abdominal ganglion (R3-R13 cells). The data suggest that NdWFamide is a cardioexcitatory pept ide utilized by R3-R13 cells of Apl? sia. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. Al l rights reserved.