Effects of beta endorphin on specific immune responses in man.
Synthetic human beta endorphin shows a biphasic effect on the production of specific anti-herpes viral antibodies in vitro. At higher concentrations antibody production is reduced, at lower concentrations it is enhanced. In a proportion of donors whose cells do not produce specific antibody when cultured with antigen alone, the lower concentrations of beta endorphin allow antigen-driven specific antibody production to occur. Specific anti-herpes viral antibodies are also made by natural killer (NK) cell-depleted populations from the same non-producer donors. beta endorphin also exerts biphasic effects on NK, although the direction of the modulation is a mirror image of the effects on antibody production. This suggests that the immunomodulatory actions of beta endorphin on specific immune responses are mediated in part by effects on NK suppressor-inducer cells.
Williamson
S A
SA
Dept. of Chemical Immunology, Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School, London, U.K.
Knight
R A
RA
Lightman
S L
SL
Hobbs
J R
JR
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000276:immunology*; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D001615:beta-Endorphin