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 experiments examine the actions of morphine and opioid peptides on the responses evoked by electrical field stimulation or by acetylcholine (ACh) and substance P (SP) in guinea-pig bronchial strip chain. Electrical field stimulation evoked a biphasic contraction, consisting of a cholinergically mediated fast contraction followed by a non-cholinergically mediated slow contraction. Morphine and opioid peptides caused a concentration-dependent inhibition in the height of the non-cholinergic contraction. The order of inhibitory activity was BW443C greater than dynorphin greater than morphine greater than beta-endorphin greater than leucine-enkephalin greater than methionine-enkephalin. Cholinergically mediated contractions were less potently inhibited by these opioids. Submaximal contractions of bronchial muscle evoked by exogenous ACh (2 microM) or SP (0.2 microM) were not inhibited by morphine (100 microM) or opioid peptides (3-10 microM), rather, they were augmented. The results indicate that in guinea-pig isolated bronchial muscle, morphine and opioid peptides can selectively inhibit excitatory non-cholinergic neurotransmission via prejunctional opioid receptors.
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PMID:Morphine and opioid peptides selectively inhibit the non-cholinergically mediated neurogenic contraction of guinea-pig isolated bronchial muscle. 169 28

We measured substance P-like immunoreactivity (SPLI), beta-endorphin-like immunoreactivity (BELI), acetylcholinesterase activity, and total protein content in pericardial fluid and plasma of patients with angina pectoris and patients with no angina pectoris. SPLI and BELI levels, acetylcholinesterase activity, and total protein content were determined by radioimmunoassay, a colorimetric method, and by the method of Lowry et al. (J Biol Chem 1951; 193:265-75), respectively. In the pericardial fluid, patients with angina had SPLI, BELI, acetylcholinesterase, and total protein values of 1.69 +/- 0.23 fmol/mg protein, 0.16 +/- 0.13 fmol/mg protein, 0.06 +/- 0.02 units, and 25.7 +/- 3.2 mg/ml, respectively. Patients with no angina had SPLI, BELI, acetylcholinesterase, and total protein values of 0.93 +/- 0.17 fmol/mg protein, 0.19 +/- 0.10 fmol/mg protein, 0.16 +/- 0.02 units, and 44.6 +/- 5.3 mg/ml, respectively. SPLI levels were significantly higher (p less than 0.03), and acetylcholinesterase (less than 0.002) and total protein content (less than 0.004) were significantly lower in the pericardial fluid of patients with angina when compared with those of patients with no angina. BELI levels were not significantly different between the two groups. In the plasma, no significant differences were found in SPLI, BELI, acetylcholinesterase, and total protein values between the two groups of patients. Patients with angina had SPLI, BELI, acetylcholinesterase, and total protein values of 0.47 +/- 0.26 fmol/mg protein, 0.06 +/- 0.06 fmol/mg protein, 0.29 +/- 0.15 units, and 68.2 +/- 8.7 mg/ml, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Substance P, acetylcholinesterase, and beta-endorphin levels in the plasma and pericardial fluid of patients with and without angina pectoris. 170 48

The effects of neonatal exposure to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on the adult animal brain neurochemistry and pain perception were evaluated. Newborn rat pups were culled to a litter size of 8 (males and females) and treated either with THC (2 mg/kg) or oil (control) daily, during days 1-4 after birth. After weaning, the THC-treated males were housed 4 per cage. During the juvenile period (day 50), the THC-treated animals exhibited significantly lower baseline tail-flick values (a measure of pain perception) than the control. However, as adults, the THC-treated animals exhibited significantly higher sensitivity to pain following 5 mg/kg morphine challenge. Furthermore, the THC-treated animals had significantly elevated beta-endorphin and methionine-enkephalin levels in almost all the brain areas sampled for the study. In addition, the neonatally THC-treated rats exhibited significantly higher levels of substance P (SP) and significantly lower levels of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) in the anterior hypothalamus-preoptic area. The SP and GnRH levels did not differ among the THC-treated and control animals in the medial basal hypothalamus. The results of this study indicate that even a very low dose of THC administered during the neonatal period has a long-lasting effect on the brain neurochemistry. In particular, neonatal administration of THC appears to alter functioning of the endogenous opioid system.
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PMID:Effect of early exposure to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol on the levels of opioid peptides, gonadotropin-releasing hormone and substance P in the adult male rat brain. 170 Sep 26

Immunohistochemical methods were used to determine the localisation of immunoreactivities to a variety of antigens involved in neurotransmission in the myenteric plexus of the colon in the rat and mouse. The findings in the two species were closely similar. Five neuronal types have been identified. (i) The axons of extrinsic noradrenergic sympathetic neurons, immunoreactive for tyrosine hydroxylase, supply the ganglia and the circular muscle. (ii) Bombesin immunoreactive intrinsic neurons with unbeaded axons are largely confined to the ganglia and tracts of the plexus. These neurons probably contain gastrin-releasing peptide, which is the mammalian analogue of bombesin. (iii) Somatostatin immunoreactive intrinsic neurons have long, beaded axons within the myenteric plexus and also outside the plexus, between the longitudinal and circular muscle layers. (iv) Intrinsic neurons containing opioid peptides (beta-endorphin, met-enkephalin, leu-enkephalin), have beaded axons that cannot be traced for long distances. They contact all the cell bodies in the ganglia and extend also into the interganglionic tracts and the smooth muscle. (v) Substance P immunoreactive somata and axons are present throughout the myenteric plexus and provide dense innervation to the smooth muscle. Extrinsic substance P immunoreactive sensory axons are probably also present.
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PMID:An immunohistochemical study of the myenteric plexus of the colon in the rat and mouse. 170 22

Peptides have recently been found to function as neuromodulators or neuromediators within nociceptive pathways at central and peripheral sites. More complex and varied in their chemistry compared to "classical" low molecular weight monoamine neurotransmitters, peptides may nonetheless co-exist with these within a single neuron. The biological activity of a peptide results from an "address" segment that permits receptor binding and a "message" segment that initiates reactions within the cell. Opioid peptides (endorphins) are derived from three precursors and act by altering ionic fluxes of potassium or calcium across cell membranes. Nonopioid peptides active in nociception include calcitonin and its gene-related peptide C.G.R.P., bradykinin, substance P, somatostatin, cholecystokinin, and corticotropin-releasing hormone, among others. Ongoing investigations show significant responses of several peptide systems in experimental models relevant to vascular pain. Although the creation of novel peptide analogues has therapeutic promise, their present clinical use must be cautious in light of reports of neurotoxicity after intraspinal application of some of these compounds in animal models.
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PMID:Neuropeptides and pain. 170 17

The purpose of the present study was to determine whether neurochemicals normally found within neuron somata, fibers, and terminals of the hippocampal formation would also be present in transplanted hippocampal tissue that had developed in lesion cavities made in adult rat brains by aspiration of the hippocampus and overlying dorsolateral neocortex. Embryonic Day 15 or 16 rat brian tissue containing hippocampus with some medial pallial anlage was transplanted into the site of hippocampal aspiration lesions in adult male rats. One hundred ten to one hundred thirty-five days later the brains of these rats were sectioned and processed using the avidin-biotin-horseradish peroxidase immunocytochemical procedure to visualize choline acetyltransferase, met-enkephalin (MENK), neurotensin (NT), somatostatin, substance P, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), or vasoactive intestinal polypeptide. Sections from two brains were stained using the thiocholine technique for visualization of acetylcholinesterase. All of these substances were found within cell bodies and/or fibers in the transplants. However, several abnormalities were noted. In addition to TH-immunoreactive fibers, TH-immunoreactive cell bodies were found in the transplants. Since TH is not expressed in mature hippocampal or cortical neurons this suggests that mechanisms for suppression of manufacture of this enzyme are lacking or inhibited in the transplants. Further, although all of the peptides were present either in fibers or in both cell bodies and fibers, the density of staining for NT and MENK was less than would be expected for normal hippocampus, and none of the cell bodies or fibers reacting for the peptides exhibited any apparent organization resembling that normally observed in hippocampus or cortex. However, some histological organization was present and the cholinergic markers were associated with this organization. These data suggest that some tropic and/or trophic factor such as nerve growth factor is present in the transplants to guide cholinergic innervation.
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PMID:Neurochemical anatomy of fetal hippocampus transplanted into large lesion cavities made in the adult rat brain. 170 34

The present work was carried out to observe the effect of intra-cerebroventricular (icv) injection of monoamine neurotransmitters, enkephalin and morphine on immunoreactive substance P(Ir-SP) contents in hypothalamus, striatum, hippocampus and pain threshold. The results were as follows: (1) After icv or intra-DR (dorsal raphe nucleus) injection of 5-HTP, the content of Ir-SP in hypothalamus significantly decreased and pain threshold markedly increased; After depletion of the 5-HT content in brain by pCPA or destruction of DR, the contents of Ir-SP were remarkably elevated in three brain regions by the former and in hypothalamus, striatum by the later. (2) The Ir-SP levels in the three brain regions and the pain threshold were not affected by the icv injection of NE, however, icv injection of DA caused a increase of Ir-SP concentration in striatum which was reversed by the DA receptor antagonist haloperidol, but without any change of the pain threshold. 7th day after icv injection of 6-OHDA, the content of Ir-SP in striatum significantly reduced. (3) Icv injection of met-enkephalin (MEK) or morphine could increase the Ir-SP levels in hypothalamus, striatum and the pain threshold, and above-mentioned effect of morphine could be prevented by the opioid receptor antagonist naloxone. Icv injection of leu-enkephalin (LEK) had no effects both on Ir-SP contents in three brain regions and the pain threshold.
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PMID:[Effect of monoamine neurotransmitters, enkephalin and morphine on substance P contents of several brain regions and pain threshold in rats]. 170 64

Neuropeptide Y (NPY), neurotensin (NT), substance P (SP) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) are four structurally unrelated neuroendocrine peptides which affect anterior pituitary function. All four peptides appear to be locally synthesized in the anterior pituitary gland and have been shown to be regulated by thyroid and/or sex hormone status. We show here that NT, SP and VIP but not NPY are influenced by adrenal hormone status in the male rat pituitary gland. Adrenalectomy increased the content of VIP (35.4 +/- 4.0 (S.E.M.) vs control 11.9 +/- 1.1 pmol/g wet weight) but decreased that of SP (18.8 +/- 2.3 vs control 36.7 +/- 3.5 pmol/g wet weight). Adrenalectomy combined with castration decreased the content of SP (14.6 +/- 3.5 vs control 36.7 +/- 3.9 pmol/g wet weight) but had no effect on VIP content. Treatment with dexamethasone produced significant decreases in NT, SP and VIP contents (17.8 +/- 2.3 vs control 32.6 +/- 3.4 pmol/g wet weight, 5.5 +/- 0.9 vs control 36.7 +/- 3.9 pmol/g wet weight and 4.2 +/- 0.6 vs control 11.9 +/- 1.1 pmol/g wet weight respectively). The changes in pituitary peptide contents occurred in parallel with changes in mRNA levels, suggesting that alterations in glucocorticoid hormone status can alter the synthesis of these peptides. These results, together with the known effects of these neuroendocrine peptides suggest possible functions for locally produced SP and VIP in regulating the secretion of adrenocorticotrophin and/or other pro-opiomelanocortin-derived peptides.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:The influence of adrenal hormone status on neuroendocrine peptides in the rat anterior pituitary gland. 170 43

Six cases of intestinal ganglioneuromatosis (GN) included in this study reveal the occurrence of two morphologic patterns. Transmural GN was characterized by neural hyperplasia in all layers of the bowel wall with predominant involvement of the myenteric plexus. It was found in three patients affected by multiple endocrine neoplasia IIb. Mucosal GN, having predominant involvement of the mucosa without concomitant hyperplasia of the myenteric plexus, was associated with von Recklinghausen's disease, adenocarcinoma of the colon, and multiple adenomas with megacolon in one case each. Clinicopathologic correlations and review of the literature suggest that mucosal GN might represent a distinct entity with a lower morbidity rate than the transmural variant. Immunohistochemical stains reveal considerable heterogeneity. S-100 protein, neuron-specific enolase, and synapto-physin immunostaining followed the distribution of the nervous hyperplasia in the different intestinal layers as identified morphologically and allowed precise determination of the proliferating cells. Increased reactivity for vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, opioid peptides leu-enkephalin and met-enkephalin, and substance P was present in all cases with transmural involvement; mucosal GN showed normal reactivity for opioid peptides and focal increased staining for substance P (one case) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (two cases) in the lamina propria. Mild increased immunoreactivity for tyrosine hydroxylase was present in the myenteric plexus of four out of four cases. Histochemical determination of acetylcholinesterase, performed in one case of transmural type, demonstrated hyperplasia of parasympathetic fibers and neurons. Electron microscopic study of another case suggested the presence of several neurotransmitters. These results indicate that the physiopathology of GN is related to a complex hyperplasia of several peptidergic, cholinergic, and probably adrenergic nerve fibers instead of a selective overgrowth of one type of nerve fiber.
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PMID:Intestinal ganglioneuromatosis: mucosal and transmural types. A clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical study of six cases. 170 7

The outer cortex of the human thymus contains a one- to two-cell-thick layer that is immunoreactive with antisera against beta-endorphin, (Leu)- and (Met)-enkephalin, bombesin, and substance P. The epithelial nature of these immunostained cells is revealed by immunoelectron microscopic studies showing the presence of desmosomal junctions. The presence of peptide-containing cells in the outer cortex, where the most immature and recently immigrated thymocytes are found, emphasizes the role of neuropeptides in regulating the microenvironment for T cell development.
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PMID:Neuropeptide-immunoreactive cells in human thymus. 170 21


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