title: Beta-endorphin effects on membrane transduction in human lymphocytes.
abstract: The endogenous opioid beta-endorphin (beta E) enhances, decreases or has negligible effects on cytotoxic and proliferative responses of lymphocytes. In order to characterize the mechanisms by which beta E modulates lymphocyte functions, we have examined the effects of beta E on certain membrane transduction events. We have shown that beta E inhibits phosphoinositol phosphate metabolism, and that it can enhance or inhibit the phosphorylation of the gamma chain of CD3 in a dose-dependent manner. We present the hypothesis that beta E contemporaneously modulates several membrane transduction processes, some of which may be counteracting and thereby producing the observed mixed effects on many lymphocyte functional responses. The biochemical status of the donor's lymphocytes also contributes to the variability in beta E-mediated effects on CMI outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles 90509.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chiappelli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kavelaars
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Heijnen
mesh_terms: D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000378:metabolism; D017252:CD3 Complex; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007295:Inositol Phosphates / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D015213:Neuroimmunomodulation; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D015290:Second Messenger Systems; D015398:Signal Transduction; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D017252:CD3 Complex; D007295:Inositol Phosphates; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins