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)

The case of a 38-year-old female with primary argyrophil cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix is reported. Two years after operation the patient developed widespread metastases with typical Cushing's syndrome. Microscopically, the tumor consisted of solid anaplastic cells, adenocarcinoma, and squamous cells. The plasma levels of ACTH and cortisol were elevated. Many cells of both the primary and metastatic tumors showed argyrophilia. Almost all the cells of the metastases contained numerous round secretory granules measuring about 117 micrometers in diameter. Small rod-shaped or larger round secretory granules, measuring 250 and 430 micrometers respectively, were also found in a few of these cells. The tumors in the right lung, pancreas, and kidney contained high levels of ACTH, beta-MSH, serotonin, histamine, and amylase. This is the first report of ectopic production of these five substances from argyrophil cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix.
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PMID:Argyrophil cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix with ectopic production of ACTH, beta-MSH, serotonin, histamine, and amylase. 22 79

Corticotropin releasing factor, a neuropeptide secreted by the hypothalamus, was recently found to be also secreted by the placenta. However, the biological role of placental CRF is obscure. In this study, we performed Northern blots and in situ hybridizations to determine the time course and site of placental CRF production. Then we measured maternal and fetal CRF, ACTH, cortisol and DHAS levels during the course of pregnancy. The results of these studies indicated that placental CRF mRNA is 1.5 kb in size and its expression increases dramatically near term. It was shown that placental CRF is transcribed in the cytotrophoblast layer. Both maternal and fetal CRF, ACTH and cortisol increased near term. The DHAS level was significantly higher on the fetal side than in the maternal plasma. It was assumed that on the maternal side, placental CRF activates the basal level of the pituitary-adrenal axis to produce more corticosteroids. The increased corticosteroids may compete with progesterone receptors and cause the removal of a progesterone block of uterine muscle contraction. On the fetal side, placental CRF activates the pituitary-adrenal axis to produce corticosteroids and DHAS. The increased corticosteroids may again compete with progesterone receptors. The increased DHAS directly affects the uterine cervix to cause ripening of it.
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PMID:[Molecular biological studies on expression of placental CRF gene and its product]. 132 31

During lactation the display of sexual receptivity in response to treatment with oestradiol benzoate (OB; 2 or 10 micrograms) and progesterone (0.5 mg) was inhibited, but the behaviour could be activated by i.p. (5 mg) or intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.; 100 micrograms) but not intrathecal (i.t.; 100 or 500 micrograms) injections of the opioid peptide receptor antagonist naloxone. The behaviour was also inhibited in ovariectomized rats in which serum progesterone and prolactin levels had been raised by treatment with progesterone implants and the dopamine receptor antagonist domperidone, and the uterine cervix had been stimulated. Intraperitoneal injections of naloxone (1 mg) reactivated the behaviour of cervically stimulated rats. The concentration of beta-endorphin-like immunoreactivity in the serum of lactating rats (42.8 +/- 9.2 pmol/l) was not raised above that of ovariectomized rats (35.8 +/- 8.4 pmol/l) nor was the concentration of beta-endorphin-like immunoreactivity altered in the pituitary gland (22.5 +/- 2.5 pmol/l), midbrain central grey (6.3 +/- 2.2 pmol/l) or hypothalamus (5.6 +/- 2.6 pmol/l) of lactating rats in comparison with ovariectomized rats (24.8 +/- 4.4, 4.0 +/- 2.0 and 4.7 +/- 1.4 pmol/l respectively). Adrenalectomy facilitated the display of sexual behaviour in lactating rats treated with OB plus progesterone and caused a slight increase in serum beta-endorphin-like immunoreactivity (30.5 +/- 2.7 pmol/l) compared with that in non-adrenalectomized lactating rats (26.1 +/- 2.1 pmol/l). It is suggested that an opioid peptide, but probably not beta-endorphin, inhibits sexual behaviour during lactation and after cervical stimulation.
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PMID:Naloxone stimulates sexual behaviour in lactating rats. 295 52

A 28 year old white women was found to have a cervical tumor in the 25th week of pregnancy. Pathologic examination revealed a nonkeratinizing small cell carcinoma. After delivery by cesarean section, pelvic lymph node exploration was carried out, and all 15 nodes were free of tumor. Her condition was staged as II-A, and she was treated with local radiation. Metastatic disease became manifest almost a year later and was histologically similar to her primary disease. A Cushingoid appearance was noticed and plasma cortisol levels were elevated. Twenty-four hour urinary 17-hydroxycorticosteroid (17-OHCS) and 17-ketosteroid (17-KS) levels were elevated and failed to suppress with dexamethasone. Plasma adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) level was elevated. Electron microscopic examination of the tumor tissue revealed neurosecretory granules. Immunoperoxidase stains for ACTH were positive. The patient's course was one of progressive decline and eventual death. A literature review revealed two other cases in which carcinoma of the uterine cervix was considered to be the source of ectopic ACTH. Some small cell carcinomas of the cervix may arise from cells of the APUD series. Small cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix may behave differently from the more commonly encountered keratinizing and large cell nonkeratinizing carcinomas of the cervix and may not respond as well to standard therapy. Ectopic hormone production, production of abnormal peptides or of vasoactive amines may be more common in small cell carcinoma of the cervix than is currently recognized, and these products may be clinically useful as tumor markers.
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PMID:Cushing's syndrome with small cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix. 610 40