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

Murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) induces adrenalitis in BALB/c mice but does not compromise adrenal function, assessed by levels of circulating adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and by the response to challenge with synthetic ACTH. Levels of corticosterone increased 2 days after infection in mice of this strain, consistent with previously established interactions between mediators of acute inflammation and activation of the hypothalmus-pituitary-adrenal axis. Moreover, an adrenocortical response was critical to survival of BALB/c (but not C57BL/6) mice 3 days after infection, as pharmacologically or surgically adrenalectomized BALB/c mice died when given doses of virus up to fivefold lower, than they could normally tolerate. However, death could not be prevented by the administration of soluble cytokine receptors to inhibit the action of interleukin 1 (IL-1) or tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha). The corticosteroid response did not mediate.MCMV-induced thymic atrophy. As the above traits were all less evident in C57BL/6 mice, a common genetic basis is discussed.
...
PMID:Adrenalitis and the adrenocortical response of resistant and susceptible mice to acute murine cytomegalovirus infection. 888 45

In the Alzheimer disease (AD) brain, senile plaques contain several proteins and cytokines, such as beta-amyloid protein (A beta), interleukin 1, transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF beta 1), and apolipoprotein E, which may contribute to the process of neurodegeneration. Clusterin is also known to colocalize with A beta deposits in neuritic plaques. Clusterin is a multifunctional protein that causes cell aggregation, binds to beta-endorphin, and inhibits the terminal complex formation of complement. Clusterin mRNA and protein are increased in the brains of AD patients. Cytokines such as TGF beta 1 and interleukin 1 enhance the expression of clusterin, which may link clusterin to inflammatory mechanisms in AD. A beta, a 39-43 amino acid peptide, is a major component of the senile plaques that are characteristic of AD. Highly aggregated A beta is implicated in neurodegeneration, e.g., A beta aggregates spontaneously into fibrillar forms resembling those in plaques that, in experimental models, cause neurotoxicity through oxidative stress. Clusterin inhibits the aggregation of A beta, which might be neuroprotective according to the aggregation-toxicity hypothesis of A beta. However, clusterin enhanced the oxidative stress of A beta. This may extend its neurotoxicity to locations distal from plaques wherever A beta is present.
...
PMID:Relationship between multifunctional protein "clusterin" and Alzheimer disease. 889 44

A laminectomy was performed at the T5-T6 vertebral level in adult, male, Sprague-Dawley rats and the spinal cord transected with a scalpel. A group of sham animals was subjected to the same surgery without the transection step. A group of unhandled control rats was also included. A subgroup of transected animals received a subcutaneous osmotic minipump that dispensed IL-1 receptor antagonist protein (IRAP) at the transection site for 7 consecutive days. Another transected subgroup received a minipump that infused the vehicle only. IRAP-treated rats displayed a significant reduction in body temperature (p < 0.05) compared with vehicle-treated rats. The IRAP-treated rats were also less active when assessed for locomotor behavior using an HVS computerized tracking system (p < 0.01). IRAP treatment had no effect on serum corticosterone, beta-endorphin levels, Con A, PHA, or LPS-induced splenocyte mitogenesis when compared with vehicle-treated animals. However, half of the IRAP-treated animals exhibited a substantive reduction in the number of reactive astrocytes near the transection site, suggesting a possible effect of IRAP on astrocyte activation.
...
PMID:The effects of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist protein (IRAP) infusion following spinal cord transection in rats. 896 1

The authors have studied mechanisms which could be involved in the sustained activation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis during continuous infusion of rats with recombinant human interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta). First, the effects of 3 days of intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) infusion of rats with IL-1 on plasma adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and corticosterone (B) levels were investigated. Thereafter, changes in plasma ACTH and B levels were followed in rats intraperitoneally (i.p.) infused with IL-1beta after immunoneutralization of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), hypophysectomy (HPX), macrophage depletion using dichloromethylene diphosphonate (Cl2MDP)-containing liposomes, adrenalectomy (ADX) and dexamethasone (DEX) administration, respectively. Infusion of IL-1beta i.c.v., even in doses as low as 0.1 microg/day, induced significant increases in plasma ACTH and B levels. HPX and ADX rats died within 18 h after starting the IL-1beta infusion (0.5 microg/day). Immunoneutralization of CRH significantly decreased and macrophage depletion significantly increased the stimulation of the HPA axis by IL-1 (4.0 microg/day). Administration of high doses of DEX completely abolished the stimulation of the HPA axis by IL-1beta (2.0 microg/day). The present study demonstrates that lower doses of IL-1beta were able to activate the HPA axis when infused i.c.v. compared with i.p. Regarding stimulation of the HPA axis by chronic i.p. infusion of IL-1beta the present study: (1) provides evidence that the CRH system is involved; (2) provides no evidence for a direct stimulatory effect of IL-1beta on the release of B by the adrenal gland which is of sufficient magnitude to resist the stress of chronic i.p. IL-1beta infusion; (3) shows that endogenous macrophage-derived mediators, induced by i.p. IL-1beta infusion, express an overall inhibitory rather than a stimulatory effect on the activity of the HPA axis; (4) demonstrates that exogenous administration of DEX blocks the effect of IL-1beta, which fits well in the concept of an immunoregulatory feedback between IL-1beta and glucocorticoids.
...
PMID:Chronic stimulation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis in rats by interleukin 1beta: central and peripheral mechanisms. 905 Jul 49

Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC)-derived peptides such as alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) recently have been recognized as mediators with potent immunomodulating and anti-inflammatory properties. Their effects are mediated via different protein G-coupled melanocortin (MC) receptors that are capable to bind one or more POMC-derived peptides. Among these receptors, MC-1 is specific for alpha-MSH and adrenocorticotropin. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether MC receptors are expressed on normal human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HDMEC) as well as transformed human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC-1). Using semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-PCR and MC receptor-specific primers, both HDMEC and HMEC-1 were found to express MC-1 constitutively. In addition, MC-1 expression was increased upon stimulation with IL-1beta or alpha-MSH itself. Other known MC receptors were neither detectable in unstimulated nor in IL-1beta- or alpha-MSH-stimulated cells. The binding of alpha-MSH by HMEC-1 was specific and saturable as demonstrated by competitive and saturation-binding studies with 125I-labeled alpha-MSH (Kd: 1.1 nM). To evaluate the physiologic relevance of MC-1 expression, HMEC-1 were treated with various concentrations of alpha-MSH (10(-15)-10(-6) M) and were investigated for their cytokine-producing capacity. Alpha-MSH (10(-10)-10(-8) M) significantly up-regulated IL-8 release and mRNA expression by HMEC-1. In contrast, the production of IL-1 or IL-6 by HMEC-1 was not affected upon treatment with alpha-MSH. These data provide first evidence that HDMEC express functional MC receptors. Therefore, alpha-MSH, which is released in the skin during cutaneous inflammation via inducing chemokines may represent an important signal required for leukocyte-endothelial cell interaction.
...
PMID:Human dermal microvascular endothelial cells express the melanocortin receptor type 1 and produce increased levels of IL-8 upon stimulation with alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone. 925 58

Both CNS- and immunocyte(lymphocytes, splenocytes)-derived beta-endorphin is involved in immune responses to stress. We show in the rat that stress-induced immunodepression (decrease of mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation and NK activity) is present only after the administration of a stress paradigm that increases immunocyte-derived beta-endorphin, while this is absent when the concentrations of the opioid are not modified. Interestingly, plasma corticosterone levels were similarly elevated after stresses whether or not they suppress immune responses, thus suggesting a pivotal role of the opioid. The increase of immunocyte beta-endorphin and immunosuppression are similarly present also after the intracerebroventricular administration of interleukin 1, thus suggesting a role for this cytokine in stress responses. The modifications of immunocyte beta-endorphin concentrations and immune responses induced by stress and interleukin 1 are not affected by indomethacin, adrenalectomy or hypophysectomy, whereas they are completely blocked by a CRH antagonist and depletion of the serotoninergic or catecholaminergic systems. In conclusion, our results suggest that immune responses to stress are not uniquely linked to an activation of the HPA axis.
...
PMID:Intermittent but not continuous inescapable footshock stress and intracerebroventricular interleukin-1 similarly affect immune responses and immunocyte beta-endorphin concentrations in the rat. 940 67

It is well established that the functional state of sebaceous glands in vivo is a tightly regulated process orchestrated through the interaction of male sex hormones and functional androgen receptors expressed on sebocytes. In the last few years, however, it has become increasingly apparent that sebocytes like epidermal keratinocytes express a variety of cytokines which are implicated in inflammatory and immune responses. For example, sebocytes in vivo have been found to highly express tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) as determined by immunohistochemical and electron-microscopic methods. Moreover, certain neuropeptides including vascular intestinal peptide and proopiomelanocortin (POMC) peptides as well as their receptors have been localized within the pilosebaceous unit of murine and human skin. Since POMC peptides such as alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone have recently been shown to exert important immunoregulatory effects by antagonizing the function of proinflammatory cytokines (e.g interleukin 1, interleukin 6 and TNF-alpha), induction of immunosuppressive cytokines (like interleukin 10), modulation of costimulatory molecule expression (e.g. B7-2) or suppression of macrophage-derived nitric oxide, complex interactions between these mediators and their target cells within the pilosebaceous gland seem to exist. The successful cultivation of sebocytes will provide a model by which the effect of these mediators can be studied in detail in order to shed light onto the various pathophysiological conditions of sebaceous glands.
...
PMID:The pilosebaceous unit is part of the skin immune system. 955 33

Although it is well established that peripheral administration of endotoxin activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, information is very limited regarding whether central administration of endotoxin can similarly stimulate the endocrine axis. Moreover, it is also unknown whether a difference exists in the mode of involvement of brain-derived cytokines in determining the HPA response to peripheral vs central administration of endotoxin. In the present study, the authors attempted to gain more knowledge on these issues focusing on interleukin (IL) 1 in the brain, one of key pro-inflammatory cytokines mediating the immuno-endocrine network. In male rats, both intravenous (i.v., 100 micrograms/kg body weight) and intracerebroventricular [i.c.v. (the 3rd ventricle), 10 micrograms] injections of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) caused a significant elevation of adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) levels in plasma, even though peaked ACTH responses occurred earlier after the i.v. (60 min post-injection) than the i.c.v. (120 min post-injection) LPS. Although the ACTH response to i.c.v. LPS was significantly suppressed by a prior (5 min) i.c.v. administration of IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra, 1 microgram), the hormonal response to i.v. LPS was not. That this dose of IL-1Ra was not biologically a small dose was indicated by another experiment that the same dose of i.c.v. IL-1Ra was able to significantly suppress the ACTH response to an i.c.v. injection of recombinant human IL-1 beta (50 ng). These results suggest that i.c.v. LPS, as i.v. LPS, can stimulate ACTH secretion in the rat, and this hormonal response may, at least in part, be mediated by brain-derived IL-1. Although there is one previous study reporting an important role of central IL-1 in mediating the HPA response to systemic LPS treatment, our present data suggest that such a mechanism may not operate before and during an early, peak phase of ACTH secretion after i.v. LPS.
...
PMID:Different roles of brain interleukin 1 in the adrenocorticotropin response to central versus peripheral administration of lipopolysaccharide in the rat. 961 78

We investigated the effectiveness of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and muramyl dipeptide (MDP) administered into the brain to induce anorexia in acutely fasted Wistar rats allowed to refeed. We also assayed for changes in mRNA levels of IL-1 system components, TNF-alpha, TGF-beta1, glycoprotein 130 (gp 130), leptin receptor (OB-R), pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), neuropeptide Y (NPY), glucocorticoid receptor (GR), and CRF receptor (CRF-R) in selected brain regions. The data show that LPS and MDP induced anorexia differentially during refeeding. LPS-induced anorexia was of a stronger magnitude and duration than that of MDP. RNase protection assays showed that LPS and MDP significantly increased the expression of IL-1beta, IL-1 receptor type I, and TNF-alpha mRNAs in the cerebellum, hippocampus, and hypothalamus; LPS was more potent in all cases. MDP treatment, on the other hand, induced a stronger increase in hypothalamic levels of IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) and TGF-beta1 mRNAs relative to LPS. In addition, competitive RT-PCR analysis showed that LPS induced an eleven-fold increase in IL-1alpha mRNA in the hypothalamus relative to vehicle. These findings suggest that LPS and MDP mediate anorexia through different cytokine mechanisms. A stronger up-regulation of anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1Ra and TGF-beta1) mRNA expression by MDP may be involved in the weaker MDP-induced anorexia relative to LPS. No significant changes were observed in the peptide components examined except for an up-regulation in cerebellar gp 130 mRNA and down-regulation of hypothalamic GR mRNA expression in response to LPS or MDP. This study shows that LPS and MDP induce anorexia in fasted rats allowed to refeed, and suggests an important role for endogenous cytokine-cytokine interactions.
...
PMID:Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- and muramyl dipeptide (MDP)-induced anorexia during refeeding following acute fasting: characterization of brain cytokine and neuropeptide systems mRNAs. 962 98

The capacity of the skin immune system to mount various types of immune responses is largely dependent on their ability to release and respond to different signals provided by immunoregulatory mediators such as cytokines. There is recent evidence that neuropeptides such as alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha MSH), upon stimulation, are released by epidermal cells including keratinocytes, Langerhans cells, and melanocytes as well as immunocompetent cells. Moreover, alpha MSH recently has been recognized as a potent immunomodulating agent, which inhibits the production and activity of immunoregulatory and proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-1, IL-2, interferon-gamma, downregulates the expression of costimulatory molecules (B7) on antigen-presenting cells; and recently turned out to be a potent inducer of inhibitory mediators such as cytokine synthesis inhibitory factor interleukin-10. Recently, it also was discovered that monocytes among the five known melanocortin (MC) receptors only express MC-1, which is specific for alpha MSH. The expression of MC-1 on monocytes is upregulated by mitogens, endotoxins, and proinflammatory cytokines. There is also recent evidence for the in vivo relevance of the immunosuppressing capacity of alpha MSH. Accordingly, in animals alpha MSH has been shown to inhibit the induction of contact hypersensitivity reactions and to induce hapten-specific tolerance. These findings indicate that, in addition to the cytokine network, neurohormones within the cutaneous microenvironment are a crucial element for the induction, elicitation, and regulation of cutaneous immune and inflammatory responses.
...
PMID:Cutaneous immunomodulation and coordination of skin stress responses by alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone. 962 65


<< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next >>