title: gamma 3-Melanocyte-stimulating hormone immunoreactivity is a component of the neuroendocrine response to maximal stress (cardiac arrest).
abstract: The levels of gamma 3-MSH immunoreactivity (gamma 3MSH-IR), beta-endorphin immunoreactivity (beta-endorphin-IR), ACTH, PRL, and cortisol were determined in 23 patients with cardiac arrest (CA) and in a group of 22 patients consecutively admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU controls). Blood was obtained immediately after CA and at frequent intervals for the next 2 h. In ICU patients, blood was obtained the morning after admission. gamma 3MSH-IR was consistently elevated after CA; it was present in all 23 patients and was detectable in 113 of 114 samples. The mean peak gamma 3MSH-IR level was 162 +/- 20 (+/- SE) pg/ml in CA patients and the mean gamma 3MSH-IR level was 35 +/- 6 pg/ml in ICU controls (P less than 0.01). gamma 3MSH-IR was undetectable (less than 20 pg/ml) in normal subjects. CA also was associated with increases in ACTH, beta-endorphin-IR, cortisol, and PRL. The group of ICU controls had stress hormone levels that were generally within the normal range. Distribution of plasma beta-endorphin-IR by gel chromatography showed two peaks of immunoreactivity corresponding to the beta-endorphin and beta-lipotropin standards in both the CA and ICU control groups. Distribution of gamma 3MSH-IR in CA plasma showed a major peak of immunoreactivity with a mol wt of approximately 6,000 daltons and two minor components of approximately 4,000 and 11,000 dalton. No immunoreactivity coeluted with a gamma 3MSH standard. We conclude that gamma 3MSH-immunoreactive peptides are a consistent component of the massive release of pituitary and adrenal glandular products after CA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wortsman
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.forename: W B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Wehrenberg
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Petra
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Murphy
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000097:blood; D004723:Endorphins / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009074:Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D001615:beta-Endorphin
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D004723:Endorphins; C027091:cortisol binding globulin; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D011388:Prolactin; D009074:Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones; D006854:Hydrocortisone