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 presence of beta-endorphin and enkephalin in pancreatic islets suggests that opioid peptides may play a role in the regulation of pancreatic endocrine function. Since data in the literature are rather controversial, we examined the effects of different doses of naloxone on insulin and glucagon secretion in 21 healthy nonobese volunteers (6 women and 15 men) by measuring the variations of insulin and glucagon plasma levels following a 5-g i.v. glucose load before and during a 30-min naloxone infusion. Total amounts of 0.4 and 0.8 mg of naloxone failed to modify serum insulin and plasma glucose responses to glucose challenge. On the contrary, 0.2 mg/kg (i.e. 12-14 mg per subject as total amount) given to 3 women and 6 men led to a glucose-induced insulin release significantly lower than that recorded in basal conditions, with corresponding greater plasma glucose elevation. The suppressive effect of glucose on glucagon concentration was less pronounced during naloxone. Data reported here suggests that inhibition of opiate receptors in human pancreas occurs only with large amounts of naloxone. Moreover, they may indirectly support the stimulatory role of opioid peptides on insulin secretion in man, according to some experimental in vitro and in vivo studies. In addition, naloxone seems to reduce pancreatic A-cell sensitivity to hyperglycemia.
Acta Diabetol Lat
PMID:The regulation of insulin and glucagon secretion by opiates: a study with naloxone in healthy humans. 389 Apr 50

Acupuncture at the Zhongwan acupoint has been widely used in traditional Chinese medicine to relieve symptoms of diabetes mellitus. Our study investigated the effect on plasma glucose of electroacupuncture applied at the Zhongwan acupoint in rat diabetic models. Plasma concentrations of insulin, glucagon and beta-endorphin- were also determined using radioimmunoassay. A decrease in plasma glucose was observed in rats after electroacupuncture (15 Hz, 10 mA) for 30 min at the Zhongwan acupoint. This was observed in normal rats and rat models with Type II (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus. No significant effect on plasma glucose was observed in rat models with Type I (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus: neither the streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats nor the genetic (BB/W) rats. Further, the hypoglycaemic action of electroacupuncture stimulation disappeared in rats with insulin-resistance induced by an injection of human long-acting insulin repeated daily to cause the loss of tolbutamide-induced hypoglycaemia. An insulin-related action can thus be hypothesised. This hypothesis is supported by an increase in plasma insulin-like immunoreactivity after electroacupuncture stimulation in normal rats. Participation of glucagon was ruled out because there was no change in plasma glucagon-like immunoreactivity resulting from electroacupuncture stimulation. In addition to an increase in plasma beta-endorphin-like immunoreactivity, the plasma glucose lowering action of electroacupuncture stimulation at Zhongwan acupoint was abolished by naloxone in a sufficient dose to block opioid receptors. Thus we suggest that electroacupuncture stimulation at the Zhongwan acupoint induces secretion of endogenous beta-endorphin which reduces plasma glucose concentration in an insulin-dependent manner.
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PMID:An insulin-dependent hypoglycaemia induced by electroacupuncture at the Zhongwan (CV12) acupoint in diabetic rats. 1006 7

Bovine adrenal zona fasciculata cells express a novel K+ current (IAC) that sets the resting potential while it couples adrenocorticotropin and angiotensin II receptors to membrane depolarization and cortisol secretion. IAC is distinctive among K+ channels both in its activation by ATP and its inhibition by cyclic AMP. Whole-cell and single-channel patch-clamp recording was used to establish a pharmacological profile of IAC K+ channels. IAC was blocked by antagonists of cyclic nucleotide-gated channels, including the diphenylbutylpiperidine (DPBP) antipsychotic pimozide and l-cis-diltiazem. Other DPBPs, including penfluridol and fluspirilene, also potently inhibited this channel. The inhibition of IAC by DPBPs was selective because 200-fold higher concentrations of penfluridol were required to inhibit voltage-gated IA K+ channels in adrenal zona fasciculata cells. Standard K+ channel antagonists blocked IAC at concentrations 100- to 100,000-fold higher than the DPBPs. IAC channels were also inhibited by the sulfonylureas glyburide and tolbutamide but at concentrations higher than those that typically block ATP-sensitive inward rectifier K+ channels. Overall, the relative order of potency and associated IC50 values for IAC antagonists were as follows: penfluridol (0.187 microM) > fluspirilene (0.232 microM) > pimozide (0.354 microM) >> l-cis-diltiazem (24.9 microM) approximately quinidine (24.1 microM) > bupivacaine (113.2 microM) > tolbutamide (784.4 microM) > BaCl2 (1027 microM) > 4-aminopyridine (2750 microM) > tetraethylammonium (24,270 microM). IAC channels are unique in combining the pharmacological properties of K+-selective channels with those of cyclic nucleotide-gated cation channels. The potent block of IAC channels identifies DPBPs as a new class of K+ channel antagonists and suggests additional targets for these neuroleptics in the central nervous system.
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PMID:Dual pharmacological properties of a cyclic AMP-sensitive potassium channel. 1038 86

Galanin, a 29-30 amino-acid neuropeptide is distributed in the central and peripheral nervous systems, the pituitary gland, the gastrointestinal tract and also in the pancreas. The endogenous and exogenous effects of galanin are mediated by three receptor subtypes, which are termed: GALR1, GALR2, and GALR3. Galanin has a significant role in physiological and pathological processes in adults as well as in children. It has an ability to contract smooth muscles in GI (facilitation and inhibition), stimulates reflexes in the CNS, decreases pancreatic amylase secretion, changes transport of electrolytes Na+ and CL-. It takes part in etiopathogenesis of depression, Alzheimer's disease and diarrhoea, exerts tonic inhibition of nociceptive input to the central nervous system and regulates a function of hypothalamic-pituitary system. Galanin decreases insulin and somatostatin secretion, increases glucagon secretion, takes part in prolactin release, stimulates growth hormone-releasing hormone, hypothalamic gonadotropin releasing hormone and corticotropin releasing hormone. It causes increase of somatotropin secretion, luteinizing hormone and foliculotropin release and adrenocorticotropin secretion. The hypothalamic galanin takes part in etiopathogenesis of obesity not only in human reproductive period, but also in adolescence, increasing the appetite and changing fat metabolism. This variety of actions emphasizes the potential importance of this peptide in the regulation of cells function and the need to understand the mechanism by which they act.
Endokrynol Diabetol Chor Przemiany Materii Wieku Rozw 2000
PMID:[The role of galanin in the endocrine system]. 1281 74

A review of the present status of various hormonal substances is presented. The pituitary preparations include various growth hormones (human and beef), still used only experimentally, thyrotropic hormone, used mainly for testing thyroid function, corticotropin-widely used-and gonadotropic hormone.Thyroid, thyroxin and triiodothyronine preparations are considered, with USP thyroid still being most useful. Glucagon may be of some use in terminating hypoglycemia - tolbutamide is now used in many older diabetic persons. New adrenal cortical steroids are still appearing and show variation in effects; cortisone or hydrocortisone remain relatively inexpensive. Many combinations are available. The newest addition to available male hormone preparations is fluoxymesterone which is anabolic in smaller dosage than the older forms. Several new long acting preparations of androgens, estrogens and progesterone are available, and many ingenious combinations are presented.
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PMID:Newer hormonal preparations. 1384 34

West syndrome is a rare epileptic disease of infancy, typified by an association of characteristic spasms, hypsarrhythmia on electroencephalography and severe psychomotor retardation or deterioration. Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) is the current first-line therapy for West syndrome despite the fact that ACTH therapy is associated with various adverse effects. We describe a rare case of iatrogenic diabetes mellitus during ACTH therapy in a patient with symptomatic West syndrome. The infant had cushingoid facies, hirsutism and biochemical evidence of diabetes due to excessive glucocorticoid production with hyperplasia of both adrenal glands at ultrasound examination, without mineralocorticoid excess; in addition, he presented also short-term weight gain, marked electrolyte disturbances, hypokalemic alkalosis and infections. When ACTH is used to treat patients with West syndrome, it is necessary to follow glycemic levels until to the end of therapy.
Acta Diabetol 2011 Dec
PMID:Iatrogenic diabetes mellitus during ACTH therapy in an infant with West syndrome. 2125 81