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)

These three neuropeptides were measured at daily baseline values by radioimmunoassay. Stimulated parotid saliva was collected from 31 subjects using a modified Carlson-Crittenden device affixed over Stenson's duct. Methionine enkephalin-like immunoreactivity ranged from 6.6 to 11.7 fmol/ml, with a mean of 9.3 fmol/ml. Substance P-like immunoreactivity ranged from 6.1 to 12.6 fmol/ml, with a mean of 9.3 fmol/ml. beta-Endorphin-like immunoreactivity ranged from 1.2 to 3.6 fmol/ml, with a mean of 2.6 fmol/ml. This is believed to be the first documentation of methionine enkephalin- and substance P-like activities in human parotid saliva and the first demonstration of beta-endorphin-like activity in any type of human saliva. Substance P-like activity was significantly higher in morning than evening samples; beta-endorphin-like activity also tended to be higher in the morning samples. Substance P and beta-endorphin-like immunoreactivities covaried in a significant positive manner, suggesting either common control mechanisms or similar responses to physiological variables.
 ...
PMID:Methionine enkephalin-like, substance P-like, and beta-endorphin-like immunoreactivity in human parotid saliva. 138 60

The opioid peptides methionine enkephalin (M-ENK) and beta-endorphin (beta-END) (1 x 10(-5)-1 x 10(-11) mg/ml) were investigated for their effect on the PHA (1:500, 1:750 or 1:1000) induced proliferative response of old and young Wistar rat splenic lymphocytes in vitro. The different effects in young and old rats on proliferative response to PHA were determined. The results showed that MENK and beta-END significantly enhanced the proliferative response to PHA in young rats, while enhancement by M-ENK and beta-endorphin (PHA 1:750, 1:1000) was not observed in old rats. The PHA-induced proliferative response was 30%-40% lower in old rats than in young rats. Our results suggest an altered response to neuro-immunomodulation with age. The in vitro effect of ENKs on phagocytosis was also studied. The results indicated that LENK (10(-4)-10(-6) mg/ml) and MENK (10(-2)-10(-4) mg/ml) could stimulate the phagocytosis of peritoneal macrophages from Balb/c mice.
 ...
PMID:[Ageing suppresses the enhancement of T cell mitogenesis by opioid peptides and enkephalins increase phagocytosis of murines macrophage]. 139 43

To clarify the mechanism of the intoxicating feeling attained after a traditional 47 degrees C hot-spring bath called 'jikan-yu' in Kusatsu-spa, Japan, we examined the change in plasma levels of beta-endorphin and methionine enkephalin in 7 healthy subjects. The mean sublingual temperature rose from 36.8 degrees C to 38.6 degrees C and the plasma beta-endorphin level from 16.2 pg/ml to 49.5 pg/ml 2 minutes after completing a 3-minute bath in 47 degrees C hot-spring water. However, the plasma methionine enkephalin level was not changed. This feeling of intoxication may be explained by the transient rise in plasma beta-endorphin level.
 ...
PMID:A transient rise in plasma beta-endorphin after a traditional 47 degrees C hot-spring bath in Kusatsu-spa, Japan. 144 52

The release of the neuropeptide Met-enkephalin (Met-ENK) from isolated nerve terminals (synaptosomes) of the rat forebrain was characterized with respect to the subcellular distribution, the release upon addition of various stimulatory agents, the release kinetics, the cation-dependence of release and the relationship between Met-ENK release and elevations of the intraterminal free Ca(2+)-concentration ([Ca]i). A highly specific radioimmunoassay was developed for determination of Met-ENK (H-Tyr-Gly-Gly-Phe-Met-OH). Truncated and elongated forms of Met-ENK, Leu-enkephalin, beta-endorphin and dynorphin displayed negligible cross-reactivity. Met-ENK-like immunoreactivity (Met-ENK-LI) is enriched in the purified synaptosomal fraction of rat forebrain homogenates and is released in a strictly Ca(2+)-dependent manner upon chemical depolarization or stimulation with the Ca2+ ionophore, ionomycin. A correlation exists between the release of Met-ENK-LI and the elevations of [Ca]i. Barium ions are able to replace Ca2+ in triggering Met-ENK-LI release. The release of Met-ENK-LI is initiated within 20 s after depolarization and is terminated after 3-5 min, although depolarization and [Ca]i elevation are maintained. At this time, > 90% of the initial Met-ENK-LI is still present inside the synaptosomes. Repolarization and renewed stimulation again evokes Ca(2+)-dependent release of this retained Met-ENK-LI. It is concluded that Met-ENK release from isolated nerve terminals is exocytotic, and that exocytosis is terminated by a regulatory mechanism in synaptosomes after 3-5 min of depolarization, a process which can be reversed by repolarization.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
 ...
PMID:Characterization of the release of Met-enkephalin from isolated nerve terminals: release kinetics and cation-dependence. 148 89

Authors have often experienced that psychological stress influences rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In addition, recent reports show a modulatory role for neuropeptide such as substance P in arthritis. These findings prompted us to study endogenous opioid peptides in RA, which are found mainly in the brain and have an effect on the central nervous system. We examined methionine-enkephalin (Met-enk), leucine-enkephalin (Leu-enk) and beta-endorphin (beta-end) in opioid peptides. We measured these peptides in plasma and synovial fluid samples obtained from 28 knees of 24 RA patients and the quantity in the synovial tissue of 13 knees. We also measured plasma and synovial fluid samples from patients with osteoarthritis of the knee and plasma samples from healthy candidates. Leu-enk and beta-end levels in synovial fluid were significantly higher than plasma levels only in RA. Larger quantity of Leu-end and beta-end were contained apparently in the synovial tissue than Met-enk. The synovial tissue with proliferative change tends to contain larger quantity of opioid peptides. These results indicate that the synovial tissue produces or secretes Leu-enk and beta-end and that opioid peptides are related to the degree of inflammation in RA.
 ...
PMID:[A study of opioid peptides in synovial fluid and synovial tissue in patients with rheumatoid arthritis]. 152 70

Melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) is a cyclic peptide which behaves as an antagonist of the pituitary melanotropic hormone alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone in fishes. Cloning of the rat MCH cDNA precursor recently revealed the presence of an additional putative peptide named NEI. The present work examined the susceptibility of these novel peptides to hydrolysis by various purified exo- and endo-peptidases including endopeptidases 24.11 (NEP), 24.15, 24.16, angiotensin-converting enzyme, leucine aminopeptidase and carboxypeptidase A. NEP attacked MCH at three sites of the molecule with an apparent affinity of about 12 microM and a kcat. of 4 min-1. The first site of cleavage was at Cys-7-Met-8, i.e. within the peptide loop formed by the internal disulphide bridge. NEP could therefore be considered as an MCH-inactivating peptidase since the degradation products generated are probably devoid of biological activity. In contrast, NEI neither inhibited the degradation of the NEP chromogenic substrate glutaryl-Phe-Ala-Phe-p-aminobenzoate nor was susceptible to proteolysis by NEP. Unlike NEP, angiotensin-converting enzyme, endopeptidase 24.15 and endopeptidase 24.16 appeared totally unable to cleave MCH, whereas the peptide was readily degraded by aminopeptidase M and carboxypeptidase A.
 ...
PMID:Hydrolysis of rat melanin-concentrating hormone by endopeptidase 24.11 (neutral endopeptidase). 152 Feb 71

Dog hearts divided into right and left atria, right and left ventricles and intraventricular septum were homogenized in acid for extraction. Total opioids, and specific peptides (methionine-enkephalin, methionine-enkephalin-arg6-gly7-leu8) were determined by radioreceptor and radioimmunoassay, respectively. Catecholamines were quantitated amperometrically following HPLC. The effects of anesthetic agents (pentobarbital, alpha-chloralose), hemorrhage and ganglionic blockade (hexamethonium and atropine) were evaluated. Total opioids, enkephalins and epinephrine were distributed uniformly throughout the myocardium, while norepinephrine was preferentially concentrated in the atria. Immunoreactive methionine-enkephalin accounted for only 1 to 2% of the total cardiac opioids estimated by radioreceptor assay. Hemorrhage lowered methionine-enkephalin content throughout the myocardium with no significant effect on total opioids or catecholamines. Ganglionic blockade increased total opioid, methionine-enkephalin-arg6-gly7-leu8 and catecholamine content without altering methionine-enkephalin content. HPLC of left ventricular extracts demonstrated that 50% of met-enkephalin-immunoreactivity eluted at retention times equal to synthetic metenkephalin. In summary, there appears to be substantive opioid concentrations within canine myocardium which respond to physiological and pharmacological interventions. These cardiac opioid responses do not parallel changes observed for catecholamines under the same conditions.
 ...
PMID:Screening for opioids in dog heart. 156 31

We studied the effect of methionine-enkephalin (MET) and beta-endorphin upon human peripheral blood lymphocyte natural killer cell (NKC) activity in a group of healthy volunteers (n = 27; 17 male and 10 female, age +/- SD and range of 32 +/- 6, 25-43 years and 36 +/- 11, 22-65 years, respectively). Aliquots from some individual samples were preincubated separately with different concentrations of either peptide (n = 12), while others were tested with only one of these substances (MET, n = 6; beta-endorphin, n = 9). Using each individual as its own control, MET (10(-8) and 10(-6) M) and beta-endorphin (10(-10) and 10(-8) M) significantly increased NKC activity (NKCA) (at least 20% over base value, effector-to-target cell ratio, 40:1) in 7 out of 15 and 7 out of 19 subjects, respectively. Results obtained from the rest of the samples were mixed, e.g., changes observed in NKCA were not significant or showed significance with only one of the peptide concentrations studied. Cells from individuals showing a significant increase in NKC lytic function following preincubation with either MET or beta-endorphin responded similarly to the other peptide (in both cases 5 out of 6 subjects), suggesting that enhancement of NKCA by MET and beta-endorphin may work through a similar mechanism.
 ...
PMID:Enhancement of human natural killer cell activity by opioid peptides: similar response to methionine-enkephalin and beta-endorphin. 157 2

Recent studies have shown that neuropeptides, such as substance P, are responsible for arthritis. We therefore studied opioid peptides (beta-endorphin, Methionine-enkephalin, Leucine-enkephalin) in order to confirm our belief that mental status may have some influence on the activity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We examined opioid peptides, lymphocyte subsets, psycologic test (Cornell Medical Index-Health questionnaire (CMI), the Face scale) and clinical data in patients with RA. Plasma Leu-enk, % Leu2a+ Leu15- cells,% Leu3a+ Leu8- cells and % Leu11+ Leu7- cells were higher in patients with a larger number of psycologic complaints in CMI. Plasma Leu-enk concentration was higher while % Leu11+ Leu7- cells was lower in proportion to the degree of neurosis, as indicated by the descrimitive chart of CMI. Plasma Met-enk concentration, % Leu2a+ Leu15- cells, and Lansbury's index were significantly higher in the group of patients whose facial expression was more severe. These findings suggest that mentala status have some relationship with the plasma level of opioid peptides (enkephalins) and immunologic functions, and that it may exert indirect effects on RA.
 ...
PMID:[Psychosomatic medicine in rheumatoid arthritis]. 158 48

Our previous studies indicate that endogenous opioids (primarily beta-endorphin) released during stressful stimuli can interact with peripheral opioid receptors to inhibit nociception in inflamed tissue of rats. This study sought to localize opioid precursor mRNAs and opioid peptides deriving therefrom in inflamed tissue, identify opioid containing cells and demonstrate their functional significance in the inhibition of nociception. In rats with Freund's adjuvant-induced unilateral hindpaw inflammation we show that: (i) pro-opiomelanocortin and proenkephalin-mRNAs (but not prodynorphin mRNA) are abundant in cells of inflamed, but absent in non-inflamed tissue; (ii) numerous cells infiltrating the inflamed subcutaneous tissue are stained intensely with beta-endorphin and [Met]enkephalin (but only few scattered cells with dynorphin) antibodies; (iii) beta-endorphin is present in T- and B-lymphocytes, monocytes and macrophages; and (iv) whole-body irradiation suppresses stress-induced antinociception in the inflamed paw. Taken together, these data suggest that endogenous opioid peptides are synthesized and processed within various types of immune cells at the site of inflammation. Immunosuppression abolishes the intrinsic antinociception in inflammatory tissue confirming the functional significance of these cells.
 ...
PMID:Gene expression and localization of opioid peptides in immune cells of inflamed tissue: functional role in antinociception. 160 30


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