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)

Herpes simplex viruses (HSV) remain latent in sensory and peripheral ganglia and can be reactivated to cause recurrent HSV infections. Recent evidence has suggested that stress can induce an immunosuppressive state and increase the frequency and severity of recurrent herpes infections. Because macrophages play a central role in the host defense against HSV, the effects of stress-related neuroendocrine hormones on macrophage-HSV interactions were examined. Norepinephrine and epinephrine blocked the capacity of recombinant interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) to activate murine macrophages to a cytotoxic state capable of selectively killing HSV-infected cells. In contrast, ACTH, dopamine, serotonin, and beta-endorphin had no effect. The suppression of IFN-gamma-induced, macrophage-mediated lysis of HSV-infected cells occurred concomitantly with a marked increase in macrophage intracellular cyclic AMP levels. Moreover, exogenous administration of dibutyryl cyclic AMP blocked induction of macrophage-mediated cytotoxicity, suggesting that the neurohormones were modulating macrophage function via an adrenergic receptor-mediated system. These findings demonstrate that selective stress-related neurohormones modify the cytolytic activity of macrophages against virus-infected cells and suggest a possible neuroendocrine-immunologic basis for the recurrence of HSV infection.
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PMID:Neuroendocrine hormones suppress macrophage-mediated lysis of herpes simplex virus-infected cells. 300 Nov 83

Here we report an infant who had herpes simplex virus (HSV) encephalitis and sustained severe bilateral damage to the posterior frontal lobes, postcentral gyri, and the thalami despite intravenous acyclovir treatment. At 7 months of age, the patient developed infantile spasms and was treated with corticotropin injections. After 10 days of corticotropin treatment, she developed lethargy, fever, and opisthotonic posturing. Her cerebrospinal fluid again was positive for HSV DNA, indicating recurrent HSV encephalitis, and repeat MRI revealed new lesions of the right frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital lobes. Immunosuppression by corticotropin may have led to the reactivation of the HSV encephalitis. Corticotropin should be relatively contraindicated for use when a patient has a history of HSV infection, or intravenous acyclovir should be administered concurrently.
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PMID:Herpes simplex virus central nervous system relapse during treatment of infantile spasms with corticotropin. 1660 80