Beta endorphins

Gianoulakis C, Beliveau D, Angelogianni P, et al Different pituitary beta-endorphin and adrenal cortisol response to ethanol in individuals with high and low risk for future development of alcoholism. Life Sci 45 1097-1109, 1989 Gianoulakis C, Krishnan B, Thavundayil J Enhanced sensitivity of pituitary beta-endorphin to ethanol in subjects at high risk of alcoholism. Arch Gen Psychiatry 53 250-257, 1996... 

Bond C, LaForge KS, Tian M, et al Single-nucleotide polymorphism in the human mu opioid receptor gene alters beta-endorphin binding and activity possible implications for opiate addiction. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 95 9608-9613, 1998 Borron SW, Monier C, Risede P, et al Flunitrazepam variably alters morphine, bu-prenorphine, and methadone lethality in the rat. Hum Exp Toxicol 21 399-603, 2002... 

Three endogenous opioids have been identified enkephalins, dynorphins and beta-endorphins. These opioid peptides selectively bind to the seven transmembrane GPCRs delta (8), kappa (k), and mu (p). Although dynorphin binds predominately to the k receptor, P-endorphines and enkephalins bind to p and 8 opioid receptors. It is important to note that the analgesia induced by opioids is mediated predominately throngh the p opioid receptor. In vitro studies have shown a decrease in the immnne function and proliferation following p-endorphin administration in rodents (Ray and Cohn 1999) and that the immunosuppressive effects by P-endorphins are steroid-independent (Berkenbosch et al. 1984 Nelson et al. 2000). 

Simpkins CO, Dickey CA, Fink MP (1984) Human neutrophil migration is enhanced by beta-endorphin. Life Sci 34(23) 2251-2255... 

It appears from the spectral map that the K-receptor is a highly specific receptor which produces strong contrasts in binding affinities of opioid analgesics. The contrast is most evident in ketazocine, ethylketazocine and buprenorphine which possess much more affinity for the K-receptor than for the two others. The contrast is also strong with dihydromorphine, beta-endorphin, an enkephalin analog and two experimental compounds (LY and FK) which have little or no affinity for the K-receptor. 

The third prohormone from which opioid peptides are derived is pro-opiomelanocortin, which yields a number of nonopioid and opioid peptide products (O Donohue and Dorsa 1982). Of these products, beta-endorphin, an untriakontapeptide isolated from camel pituitary gland by Li and Chung (1976)) is thought to interact primarily with mu and delta receptors. 

Grandison, L. Guidotti, A. (1977). Stimulation of food intake by muscimol and beta endorphin. Neuropharmacology 16, 533-6. 

Boyadjieva, N.I.S.D. The secretory response of hypothalamic beta-endorphin neurons to acute and chronic nicotine treatments and following nicotine withdrawal. Life Sci. 61 PL59, 1997. 

Finally, it should be noted that Neele et al. (2002) have observed that raloxifene treatment significantly increases plasma levels of beta endorphin in postmenopausal women but does not significantly affect climateric symptoms with the exception of worsening vasomotor symptoms, so that the increase of hot flashes with raloxifene could be related to the changes in the beta endorphins. 

Keveme, E.B., N.D.Martinez B.Tuite (1989). Beta-endorphin concentrations in... 

The present review will focus on the behavioral consequences of two peptidergic compounds, oxytocin and vasopressin. A variety of other peptides, such as corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH), gonadotropin-hormone releasing hormone (GNRH), and the endogenous opiates, such as beta-endorphin (to name only a few) also influence behavior. 

Bioom FE, Rossier J, Battenberg EL, Bayon A, French E, Henrifeen SJ, Siggins GR, Segal D, Browne R, Ling N, Guiiiemin R. (1978). Beta-endorphin cellular localization, electrophysiological and behaviorai effects. Adv Biochem Psychopharmacol. 18 89-109. 

Spinella M, Znamensky V, Moroz M, Ragnauth A, Bodnar RJ. (1999). Actions of NMDA and cholinergic receptor antagonists in the rostral ventromedial medulla upon beta-endorphin analgesia elicited from the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray. Brain Res. 829(1-2) 151-59. 

Suh HW, Song DK, Lee KJ, Choi SR, Kim YH. (1996). Intrathecally injected nicotine enhances the antinociception induced by morphine but not beta-endorphin, D-Pen2,5-enkephalin and U50,488H administered intrathecally in the mouse. Neuropeptides. 30(4) 373-78. 

Introini I, McGaugh JL, Baratti C. 1985. Pharmacological evidence of a central effect of naltexone, morphine, and beta-endorphin and a peripheral effect of met- and leu-enkephalin on retention of an inhibitory response in mice. Behav Neural Biol 44(3) 434-446. 

Fung YK, Schmid MJ, Anderson TM, Lau YS (1996) Effects of nicotine withdrawal on central dopaminergic systems. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 53 635-640 Gilbert DG, Mehska CJ, Williams CL, Jensen RA (1992) Subjective correlates of cigarette smoking-induced elevations of peripheral beta-endorphin and cortisol. Psychopharmacology 106 275-81... 

In another paper from the same group (40), a new solution-based approach for linear epitope mapping based on ACE/MS is demonstrated using beta-endorphin as a model substance. The procedure can briefly be described... 

The most potent and pervasive pain suppression system appears to be provided by endogenous opioids, particularly methionine encephalin and beta endorphin. These opioids and their receptors are widely distributed at several levels in the central nervous system (Mansour et al., 1988). Enkephalins appear to control the responses of dorsal horn neurons and may also modulate pain... 

The causes and mechanisms of chronic pain syndromes are diverse (Lance 8c McLeod, 1981). A similarity with depression has been noted by several authors and it has been suggested that chronic pain syndromes might result from reduced activity in serotonergic systems involved in pain suppression and mood control (Moldofsky, 1982). Other authors have suggested that a causative factor in chronic pain syndromes might be abnormally low concentrations or activity of endogenous opioids, particularly beta-endorphin (Lip-man et al., 1990). 

The peptide, melatonin, has been implicated in autism. Excess melatonin is thought to decrease learning, memory, attention, emotionality, motivation and pain responses (reviewed Chamberlain Herman, 1990)—all behaviours that are abnormal in autism. Melatonin, released from the pineal gland, is implicated in controlling serotonin and POMC (proopiomelanocortin) peptides, such as beta-endorphin, and an elevation may contribute to, or cause, the serotonin and opioid abnormalities (Chamberlain Herman, 1990). 

SantareUi L, Gobbi G, Debs PC, SibiUe FT, Blier P, Hen R, Heath MJ (2001) Genetic and pharmacological disruption of neimokinin 1 receptor function decreases anxiety-related behaviors and increases serotonergic fimction. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 98 1912-1917 Schedlowski M, Fluge T, Richter S, Tewes U, Schmidt RE, Wagner TO (1995) Beta-endorphin, but not substance-P, is increased by acute stress in hiunans. Psychoneuroendocrinology 20 103-110... 

Baker DG, West SA, Orth DN, Hill KK, Nicholson WE, Ekhator NN, Bruce AB, Wortman MD, Keck PE, Geracioti JD (1997) Cerebrospinal fluid and plasma beta endorphin in combat veterans with post traumatic stress disorder. Psychoneuroendocrinology 22 517-529 Bauer EP, Schafe GE, LeDoux JE (2002) NMDA receptors and L-type voltage-gated calcium channels contribute to long-term potentiation and different components of fear memory formation in the lateral amygdala. J Neurosci 22 5239-5249... 

CS280 Solinas, M., A. Zangen, N. Thiriet, and S. R. Goldberg. Beta-endorphin elevations in the ventral tegmental area regulate the discriminative effects of Delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol. Eur J Neurosci. 2004 19(12) 3183-3192. 

Nemeroff, C.B., Bissette, G., Akil, H., and Fink, M. (1991) Neuropeptide concentrations in the cerebrospinal fluid of depressed patients treated with electroconvulsive therapy. Corticotrophin-releasing factor, beta-endorphin and somatostatin. Br J Psychiatry 158 59-63. 

Additionally, an opioid antagonist, naltrexone, has been used to treat children with autism. The results from these studies have been mixed, with some studies showing a mild decrease in hyperactivity and self-injurious behavior, and improved attention (Gillberg, 1995). The children who respond best to this medication appear to have more severe abnormalities in their beta endorphin levels (Bouvard et al., 1995). Overall, the research suggests that the endogenous opioid system, which is important in the reward aspects of affiliation, may also play a role in the neurobiology of autism. 

Brambilla, F, Guareschi-Cazzullo, A., Tacchini, C., Musetti, C., Pa-nerai, A.E., and Sacerdote, P. (1997) Beta-endorphin and chole-cystokinin 8 concentrations in peripheral hlood mononuclear cells of autistic children. Neuropsychobiology 35 1—... 

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