Differentiation of central and peripheral cholecystokinin receptors by new glutaramic acid derivatives with cholecystokinin-antagonistic activity.

Three glutaramic acid derivatives provided with a potent antagonistic activity on the contractions elicited by the carboxyl terminal octapeptide CCK-8 in the guinea pig gallbladder have been evaluated for their capacity to inhibit the binding of [125I]-(Bolton-Hunter)-CCK-8 to both central and peripheric cholecystokinin (CCK) receptors. The most active compound inhibits the CCK binding to rat pancreas acini at a concentration 10(-7) mol/l, but only at 10(-4) mol/l on cerebral cortex membranes, confirming the existence of at least two different populations of CCK receptors.