The short-chain pseudopeptide, [D-Phe6, Leu13 psi (CH2NH)Leu14]bombesin(6-14) (RDI), is reported to be a potent antagonist of bombesin, and development of this type of compound has greatly contributed to the investigation of biological actions of bombesin and its related peptides. We recently synthesized (E)-alkene bombesin isostere by replacing the peptide bond with an (E)-double bond: [D-Phe6, Leu13 psi [(E)CH = CH]Leu14] bombesin(6-14) (EABI). The present study examined the effect of EABI on amylase release from rat pancreatic acini. EABI showed no agonistic activity at concentrations up to 1 microM, and RBI showed slight agonistic activity at concentrations > 10 nM. EABI caused a dose-dependent inhibition of amylase release stimulated by 0.1 nM bombesin, with an IC50 of 6.7 +/- 1.7 nM, and induced almost-complete inhibition at 0.3 microM. RDI caused a dose-dependent inhibition of amylase release, with an IC50 of 68.7 +/- 16 nM. EABI caused a parallel and rightward shift of the entire dose-response curve of bombesin-stimulated amylase release, and the degree of the shift was dependent on the concentrations of EABI. EABI (100 nM) and RDI (100 nM) inhibited amylase releases stimulated by gastrin-releasing peptide (1 nM) and neuromedin-C (1 nM). In contrast, amylase release stimulated by cholecystokinin octapeptide (0.1 nM), carbachol (10 microM), vasoactive intestinal peptide (1 nM), and gastrin-17 (10 nM) was not inhibited by EABI and RDI. The results indicate that EABI is a potent and specific bombesin receptor antagonist.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)