Beta-endorphin-immunoreactive components in human cerebrospinal fluid.
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from patients without neurological disorder was analyzed after Sep-Pak extraction for beta-endorphin (beta-EP)-immunoreactive components by combined reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and radioimmunoassay. A C-terminal directed antibody detected one major immunoreactive component, probably identical with beta-EP1-31. An N-terminal directed antibody detected several immunoreactive components. One co-eluted with beta-EP1-31 but the others are probably C-terminal truncated or otherwise modified forms of beta-EP1-31. However, they eluted differently from beta-EP1-16 (alpha-endorphin), beta-EP1-26, 1-27 and alpha,N-acetyl-beta-EP1-31. Alternatively, some of the fragments may represent C-terminal extended forms of pro-enkephalin A-derived Met-enkephalin. A Met-enkephalin antiserum detected several immunoreactive components probably representing N-terminal extended forms; neither of them were identical with the beta-EP-immunoreactive components. The results illustrate the heterogeneity of the beta-EP-immunoreactive components in CSF and the need to characterize the beta-EP radioimmunoassay before its application to biological extracts.
D000368:Aged; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004723:Endorphins / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D001615:beta-Endorphin
D004723:Endorphins; D007106:Immune Sera; D001615:beta-Endorphin