title: Plasma beta-endorphin, free fatty acids and blood lipid changes in type 2 (non-insulin dependent) diabetic patients.
abstract: A lipolytic activity for beta-endorphin (beta EP) has been recently suggested both in vitro and in vivo. In our study we evaluated the relationship between beta EP and blood lipid pattern in Type 2 (non-insulin dependent) diabetic patients. Plasma beta EP, together with plasma beta-lipotropin (beta LPH), ACTH, cortisol and plasma insulin (IRI), was measured by RIA after silicic acid plasma extraction and Sephedex G-75 column chromatography. Although reduced beta EP (7.12 +/- 3.8 fmol/ml) and increased beta LPH (9.3 +/- 3.7 fmol/ml) levels were found in diabetic patients, compared to controls (8.53 +/- 3.3 fmol/ml, p less than 0.05 and 8.34 +/- 2.6 fmol/ml, p less than 0.05, respectively), higher plasma beta EP concentrations were demonstrated in hyperlipidemic diabetic patients (10.3 +/- 3.9 fmol/ml) than in patients with normal blood lipid pattern (4.85 +/- 1.45 fmol/ml, p less than 0.001). Several positive correlations between beta EP, plasma free fatty acids (r = 0.75, p less than 0.001), triglycerides (r = 0.84, p less than 0.001) and VLDL (r = 0.80, p less than 0.001) were found in our patients independently of overweight, hypoglycemic treatment, plasma IRI levels and of the degree of metabolic control. A higher prevalence of micro- and macrovascular complications was demonstrated in hyperlipidemic than in normolipidemic patients. Blood lipid disorders might therefore be associated with increased plasma beta EP levels in Type 2 diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Interna, University of Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Solerte
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fioravanti
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Petraglia
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Facchinetti
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Patti
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schifino
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Genazzani
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ferrari
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood*; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000097:blood; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000097:blood*; D008083:beta-Lipotropin / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D007328:Insulin; D008055:Lipids; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D008083:beta-Lipotropin; D006854:Hydrocortisone