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 ability of immunomodulating mistletoe extract standardized for the galactoside-specific lectin (ML-1) to affect immunological parameters (peripheral blood lymphocyte counts, cytokine release) as well as neuroendocrinological parameters (beta-endorphin release) was investigated in breast cancer patients (n = 36). Regular subcutaneous injections of the optimal immunomodulating ML-1 dosage (1ng/kg body weight, twice a week) for 12 weeks induced 1) a significant increase (p < 0.005) of beta-endorphin plasma levels, 2) a reduced decrease (respectively moderate increase) of defined peripheral blood lymphatic subsets after standard chemotherapy, 3) an evidently increased in vitro cytokine release by mononuclear immune cells after adequate stimulation. The increased levels of plasma beta-endorphin after ML-1 administration obviously correlate with an improved quality of life in this group of patients; however, increased in vitro cytokine release and stabilization of peripheral blood lymphocyte counts after chemotherapy demonstrate the immunoactive potency of ML-1.
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PMID:Mistletoe extract standardized for the galactoside-specific lectin (ML-1) induces beta-endorphin release and immunopotentiation in breast cancer patients. 806 3

Melatonin is a skin lightening agonist of the toad Bufo ictericus. The hormone also exhibits an autodesensitizing action as well as an inhibitory activity on the darkening response to alpha-MSH. In an attempt to pharmacologically characterize the melatonin receptor of the toad pigment cells, serotonin and N-acetylserotonin (intermediate products of melatonin biosynthesis) biological activities were compared to melatonin effects. Serotonin (6.4 x 10(-5) to 10(-9) M) exhibited no lightening or inhibitory activity on MSH-elicited darkening responses or melatonin-elicited lightening responses. N-acetylserotonin, although less potent than melatonin, elicited a significant lightening response on previously MSH-darkened skins. Previous exposure of the skins with N-acetylserotonin reduced both MSH-induced darkening and melatonin-induced lightening in MSH-darkened skins. These results suggest a competitive inhibition of melatonin by N-acetylserotonin and indicate that melatonin receptors in B. ictericus pigment cells may be similar to ML-1 type found in chicken retina.
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PMID:Serotonin and N-acetylserotonin effects on pigment cells of the toad Bufo ictericus: pharmacological characterization of melatonin receptors. 881 70

A prospectively randomized clinical study was performed with breast carcinoma patients to determine the correlation of defined parameters of the cellular immunity and beta-endorphin plasma levels after mistletoe lectin (ML-1) standardized therapy. The subcutaneous administration of optimal ML-1 dosages (0.5-1.0 ng ML-1/kg body weight; twice a week) induced an increased beta-endorphin plasma level, enhanced activity of peripheral blood natural killer (NK-)cells and T-lymphocytes (expression of CD-25/interleukin-2 receptors and HLA/DR-antigens). Statistical analysis of the data (Spearman correlation) revealed a significant correlation between NK- and T-cell activity and beta-endorphin plasma level. Thus, an obvious correlation between immune system and the neuroendocrine system may be anticipated which might gain therapeutical relevance.
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PMID:Correlation of immune cell activities and beta-endorphin release in breast carcinoma patients treated with galactose-specific lectin standardized mistletoe extract. 956 81