title: Pro-opiomelanocortin-related peptides in cerebrospinal fluid: a study of manic-depressive disorder.
abstract: Five peptide fragments of pro-opiomelanocortin (alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, beta-lipoprotin, adrenocorticotropic hormone, beta-endorphin, and the N-terminal fragment of pro-opiomelanocortin) were measured by radioimmunoassay in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma from 31 normal volunteers and 26 euthymic lithium-treated bipolar patients (14 of whom provided a second CSF sample in the unmedicated state). With the exception of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, in the normal volunteers' CSF, levels of these peptides were highly correlated with one another, suggesting that: (1) some common regulatory factor may control the levels of these four peptides in CSF; and (2) CSF alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone is independently regulated from the other pro-opiomelanocortin products. Some of these correlations were absent in the patient groups, suggesting subtle alterations in pro-opiomelanocortin processing in manic-depressive illness. No effect of lithium on the CSF levels of these peptides was observed. No group differences were found.
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000188:drug therapy; D004723:Endorphins / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D009074:Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008875:Middle Aged; D010455:Peptides / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D008083:beta-Lipotropin / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid
chemical_list: D004723:Endorphins; D010455:Peptides; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D009074:Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones; D008083:beta-Lipotropin; D008094:Lithium