title: Dopaminergic agents differentially alter beta-endorphin processing patterns in the rat pituitary neurointermediate lobe.
abstract: We have established the content and molecular species of immunoreactive beta-endorphin (ir-beta-END) and immunoreactive N-acetyl-endorphin (ir-Nac-END) in rat neurointermediate lobe by specific radioimmunoassay (RIA) and high-performance liquid chromatography after chronic administration of dopamine (DA) agonists and antagonists. The DA agonist, bromocriptine, reduces tissue levels of all major immunoreactive species, in particular the C-terminally shortened N-acetylated forms. The DA antagonist, haloperidol, proportionally increases all immunoreactive forms, except Nac-beta-END, thus altering the relative abundance of this species. These data indicate that DA is involved in the control of both tissue levels and processing of beta-END-like peptides in the rat neurointermediate lobe.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Autelitano
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lolait
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Funder
mesh_terms: D015655:1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridinium; D000818:Animals; D001971:Bromocriptine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology*; D004723:Endorphins / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000494:pharmacology; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000032:analysis*; D011726:Pyridinium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives
chemical_list: D004723:Endorphins; D011726:Pyridinium Compounds; D001971:Bromocriptine; D001615:beta-Endorphin; C035101:N-acetyl-beta-endorphin; D006220:Haloperidol; D015655:1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridinium; D004298:Dopamine