Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UNIPROT:P01189 (beta-endorphin)
 21,003 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Ninety-five women undergoing induced abortion were randomly premedicated with oral diazepam, 5 or 10 mg, midazolam 15 mg, or intramuscular placebo, 40-60 min before the induction of anesthesia. Prior to premedication and again prior to the procedure, the women completed the questionnaire sheet for the Profile of Mood States (POMS), and plasma samples for immunoreactive beta-endorphin (ir beta-E) and ACTH were taken. The Oblique Tension-Anxiety (T-A) Factor scores derived from POMS correlated with plasma concentrations of ir beta-E and ACTH after premedication. The T-A scores decreased in women premedicated with diazepam, 5 and 10 mg, or midazolam, 15 mg, but not in women treated with placebo. The women premedicated with midazolam, 15 mg, became more fatigued after premedication. The changes in blood pressure after premedication correlated with T-A scores. A positive correlation was found between heart rate and plasma beta-endorphin concentration. The changes in ir beta-E and ACTH did not correlate with the changes in T-A scores. We conclude that POMS T-A scores are useful for assessment of preoperative anxiety and the effect of premedication. The present study did not provide any reliable proof to confirm the hypothesis of a relationship between plasma concentrations of ir beta-E or ACTH and preoperative anxiety. Since many factors modulate endorphin and ACTH secretion prior to operation, the measurement of endogenous opiates may be of limited value in assessment of the effects of preanesthetic medication.
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PMID:The effect of orally administered diazepam and midazolam on plasma beta-endorphin, ACTH and preoperative anxiety. 185 Sep 46

Several studies indicated that trophoblast tissue synthesizes pro-opiomelanocortin-related peptides. These peptides are also present in amniotic fluid, but their origin remains unknown. The present study evaluated the presence of and the possible changes in beta-endorphin (beta-EP) in amnion and chorion during pregnancy, at parturition and in spontaneous abortion. Amnion, chorion and placental tissues were isolated and homogenized from a total of 46 pregnant women between 4th and 42 th week of pregnancy. Beta-EP was separated on a Sephadex G-75 column and measured by RIA with specific antiserum. The identity of the endogenous opioid with its corresponding reference molecule was confirmed by high performance liquid chromatography. In all tissues, the concentration of beta-EP in the first trimester was significantly higher than in the second trimester. A negative correlation between opioid levels and gestational age was observed in the first two trimesters. At delivery, the beta-EP content of all tissues was greater than in the second trimester. In tissues collected at term, in the absence of labor, beta-EP levels were very low in comparison with those collected after vaginal delivery. Low beta-EP contents were found in membranes collected from spontaneous abortion in 1st trimester. From these data one can surmise the existence of a local endogenous opioid system in fetal adnexes. This system seems sensitive to the stress of vaginal delivery and could be involved in the mechanisms leading to spontaneous abortion.
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PMID:Changes in beta-endorphin in fetal membranes and placenta in normal and pathological pregnancies. 209 41

In this study, we have determined the beta-endorphin concentrations in the plasma of 11 cases during the first 3 months of pregnancy, as well as the corresponding products of conception, collected by hysterosuction, during the course of voluntary abortion. The purpose of this study is to compare the values obtained by the analysis of maternal plasma and the material collected by hysterosuction. The beta-endorphin concentrations were obtained by radioimmunologic methods using a kit which allows a separation from beta-lipotropin. The specimens obtained by hysterosuction (8 +/- 1.7 pmol/l) showed significantly higher levels of beta-endorphin than those observed in the maternal plasma (2.6 +/- 0.3 pmol/l). Thus, already in the earliest gestational period, the data are consistent with a feto-placental origin for this opioid peptide.
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PMID:Maternal and embryonal/fetal beta-endorphin concentrations during the first trimester of pregnancy. 252 58

Adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) and desacetyl-alpha-MSH (des-alpha-MSH) concentrations were evaluated in 4 embryos and 18 fetal pituitaries collected after spontaneous (n = 9) and prostaglandin-induced abortion (n = 9) at 13-25 weeks of gestation. The peptides were measured by radioimmunoassays after a high-performance liquid chromatographic separation of the homogenates. In both embryonic and fetal pituitaries, des-alpha-MSH concentrations were 2-4 times higher than those of alpha-MSH and 1- to 50-fold increased in comparison to those of ACTH. Either melanotropin showed the highest pituitary content in the first part of the second trimester, while the ACTH content remained constant. In the oldest fetuses (over 20th week), the pituitaries collected after prostaglandin-induced abortion showed markedly increased values of both des-alpha-MSH and alpha-MSH in comparison to samples collected after spontaneous abortion. In conclusion, des-alpha-MSH, the typical melanotropic hormone of fetal pituitary, undergoes important changes during development. Des-alpha-MSH seems to be the end product of proopiomelanocortin cleavage and its pituitary content increases in concomitance with the fetal adrenal sprout. Moreover, these data indicate that the intermediate pituitary lobe could be activated by the stress of labor after the 20th week of pregnancy.
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PMID:Pituitary changes of desacetyl-alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone throughout development. 284 14

In this study we evaluated the presence of proopiomelanocortin-related peptides (beta-lipotropin, beta-endorphin, and gamma-endorphin) in five embryos (5 to 10 weeks of pregnancy) and 11 fetal pituitaries (15 to 25 weeks) by means of high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with specific radioimmunoassays. Tissues were collected at laparotomy for ectopic pregnancy (five embryos) or after spontaneous (seven) or prostaglandin-induced (four) abortion. beta-Endorphin and beta-lipotropin were present starting at the seventh week of pregnancy while gamma-endorphin appeared only in the second trimester. During embryonic life opioid activity was limited to the cephalic portion. The three peptides, but little, if any, acetylated 1-31 beta-endorphin, were recognized in the fetal pituitary throughout the second trimester, at which time beta-lipotropin and beta-endorphin showed constant values in spite of increasing gamma-endorphin concentrations. beta-Lipotropin was the predominant peptide in both embryonic and fetal life. In conclusion, the three peptides related to proopiomelanocortin were expressed from the precursor at different times throughout development. By the beginning of the second trimester the pituitary processing of proopiomelanocortin is similar to that of adult life and the functional activity of the anterior lobe seems to prevail over that of the "fetus-related" neurointermediate lobe around the twenty-fifth week of pregnancy.
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PMID:Ontogeny of pituitary beta-endorphin and related peptides in the human embryo and fetus. 295 Jul 61

The continuous and progressive rise of beta-endorphin (B-EP), beta-lipotropin (B-LPH) and cortisol plasma levels during labor in term-pregnant women represents one of the most relevant maternal hormonal responses to the stress of parturition. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the changes of these hormones, both in plasma and amniotic fluid (except cortisol), in a group of pregnant women undergoing prostaglandin-induced therapeutic abortion at the 2nd trimester of pregnancy. B-EP, B-LPH and cortisol were measured by radioimmunoassay. Both plasma and amniotic fluid samples were purified through extraction and chromatography (Sephadex G-75 columns). The prostaglandin derivative, 16-phenoxy-PGE2-methylsulfonylamide (sulprostone, Schering, Berlin) (500 micrograms, i.m., every 4 h), caused a rapid and significant rise of plasma B-EP, B-LPH and cortisol levels in all subjects. The relative increase of the 3 hormones was less relevant after the 2nd and absent after the 3rd injection of PGE2. The amniotic fluid concentrations of B-EP and B-LPH were also raised 2 h after the 1st injection. These data indicate that sulprostone-induced abortion activates both maternal and fetoplacental release of opioids independently of the trend of uterine contractions. The pattern of pro-opiomelanocortin-related labor differs from spontaneous labor and can probably be linked to a direct effect of the drug.
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PMID:Prostaglandin-induced mid-pregnancy abortion increases plasma and amniotic fluid levels of beta-lipotropin and beta-endorphin. 295 88

Potential therapeutic effects of combined oral contraceptives (COC) rigevidon and ovidon (estrogen:gestagen ratio of 1:5) were studied in 97 women aged 19-35 years. With respect to the anatomical state of the thyroid, the patients were divided into two groups: group 1 included 42 women with normal thyroid function and group 2 included 55 women with euthyroid hyperplasia of the thyroid gland of stage I-II (the anatomical state of the thyroid gland was ranked according to the five-point Swiss scale adopted by WHO in 1975). All patients had a history of pregnancy, normal delivery, or abortion. The state of the pituitary-thyroid system was estimated by absorption of iodine isotopes in the thyroid tissue, and by the blood levels of thyrotropic hormone, thyroxine-binding globulin, thyroxine, and triiodothyronine. Activity of the pituitary- adrenal system was estimated by the blood levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol. Blood samples were withdrawn 9 and 10 hours prior to the onset of COC administration, and after 24 and 48 weeks of COC use. The changes in the functional state of the pituitary- thyroid system in groups 1 and 2 were identical throughout the entire period of COC administration. Progressive increase in the levels of thyroxine and triiodothyronine was associated with inhibition of the thyrotropic function of the pituitary seen as decrease in thyrotropin levels. COC administration caused decrease in size of hyperplastic tyroid gland. Prior to COC administration, women in group 2 showed significant elevation of ACTH levels and marked decrease in ACTH levels and increase in cortisol levels in both groups. Normalization of the size of thyroid gland indicated that COC be used therapeutically in patients with thyroid hyperplasia.
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PMID:[Effect of combined oral contraceptives on the hypophyseo-thyroid and hypophyseo-adrenal systems in women with various anatomy of the thyroid gland]. 323 85

Twenty threatened abortive patients in the 7-8th week of gestation were treated with a classical miscarriage prevention tea (Shou-Tai-Tang) combined with psychological consultation. All of the patients had a history of unexplained recurrent abortions. This treatment succeeded in sixteen out of 20 patients. The plasma concentrations of beta-endorphin (beta-EP), gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH), human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG), and progesterone (P4) were measured by radioimmunoassay before and after treatment. Compared to control subjects, beta-EP levels were significantly higher, while GnRH, hCG, and P4 were lower than before treatment. Concentrations of these peptides/hormones returned to normal ranges after successful treatment.
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PMID:Miscarriage prevention tea affects plasma beta-endorphin concentrations in women with early threatened abortions. 1046 61

This review highlights recent studies investigating the impact of stress on pregnancy health or loss. Spontaneous abortion is the most common adverse pregnancy outcome, and stress has been suggested to be abortogenic in mice and humans. A wealth of information has been published on the effect of stress on the nervous, endocrine and immune systems during the past two decades. Stress- and/or pregnancy-related hormones (corticotropin releasing hormone, adrenocorticotropin, prolactin, and progesterone) might interact with peripheral and local immuncompetent cells, such as certain T cell subsets, mast cells or NK cells, and result in changes of cytokine production. Since a well-balanced interaction of nervous, endocrine and immune system is crucial for the maintenance of successful pregnancy, putative mechanisms and recent observations on stress-triggered pregnancy failure have been reviewed.
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PMID:Stress and pregnancy loss: role of immune mediators, hormones and neurotransmitters. 1150 75

Spontaneous abortion is the most common adverse pregnancy outcome, and stress has been suggested to be abortogenic in mice and humans. Stress-and/or pregnancy-related hormones (corticotropin releasing hormone, adrenocorticotropin, and progesterone) might interact with peripheral and local immunocompetent cells, such as certain T cell, mast cells or NK cells, and result in changes of cytokine production. In an established murine model, abortions can be triggered by exposing the mice to stress during early gestation. Recent data from this model indicated that increased levels of abortogenic Th1 cytokines, a decrease of progesterone and thus, PIBP were incongruous with successful pregnancy maintenance. Supplementation of progesterone exerts a pregnancy protective effect by induction of a pregnancy-protective Th2 biased immune response. Interestingly, data from a prospective study on human pregnancy revealed that women with a clinically normally progressing pregnancy but low levels of progesterone during the first trimester eventually suffered from a miscarriage. These data indicate that stress may lead to increase abortions by altering the endocrine system, which triggers an immune bias towards an abortogenic cytokine profile. Progesterone may be a good marker to identify a putative thread of a miscarriage in human and progesterone replacement therapy may abrogate this thread by inducing a Th2 biased immune response from the decidua.
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PMID:[Stress and embryo implantation]. 1496 45


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