title: Decreased immunoreactive beta-endorphin in mononuclear leucocytes from patients with rheumatic diseases.
abstract: The neuroendocrine polypeptide hormone beta-endorphin (beta-END), which is released from various tissues including the anterior pituitary gland and cells of the immune system, has recently been implicated as having an immunoregulatory role. We used a radioimmunoassay to measure beta-END levels in circulating mononuclear leucocytes from normal subjects and patients with various rheumatic diseases. Levels of beta-END in leucocytes from patients were lower than in leucocytes from healthy subjects (P less than 0.001). Whereas levels of beta-END in leucocytes from patients with the various rheumatic disorders were not significantly different, an inverse correlation was found between beta-END levels in leucocytes and expression of rheumatoid factor (P less than 0.025) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (P less than 0.025). This study demonstrates decreased content of beta-END in cells of the immune system related to parameters of inflammatory activity in rheumatic diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Wiedermann
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sacerdote
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mur
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kinigadner
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wicker
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Panerai
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Braunsteiner
mesh_terms: D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism*; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000032:analysis; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D001615:beta-Endorphin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor