title: Enhanced activity of the beta-endorphinergic system in the anterior and neurointermediate lobe of the rat pituitary after chronic treatment with ethanol liquid diet.
abstract: Chronic treatment of rats with ethanol liquid diet over a period of two weeks resulted in a pronounced increase in the activity of the beta-endorphinergic system in the anterior and neurointermediate lobe of the pituitary. In the anterior pituitary, the in vitro incorporation of [3H]tyrosine into beta-endorphin and its precursor peptides beta-lipotropin and pro-opiomelanocortin was enhanced by 350, 100 and 135%, respectively. In contrast, the in vitro biosynthesis of total proteins was not altered, indicating that the ethanol-induced stimulatory effects on the beta-endorphinergic system were not due to a nonspecific enhancement of protein synthesis. The in vitro release of beta-endorphin-related peptides from the anterior pituitary was increased; the tissue concentrations, however, remained unchanged. In the neurointermediate pituitary, the in vitro incorporation of [3H]tyrosine into beta-endorphin also was stimulated by more than 50% in response to chronic ethanol treatment, whereas the biosynthesis of total proteins was unaffected. The ethanol-induced stimulation of the beta-endorphin system in the neurointermediate pituitary, however, did not appear to result in an increased formation of beta-endorphin-like peptides with opiate activity, as the concentrations of alpha-N-acetylated forms of beta-endorphin were found to be increased, whereas those of nonacetylated forms were markedly decreased. This is suggestive for an ethanol-induced stimulation of the alpha-N-acetylation of beta-endorphin, a modification that inactivates the peptide in all its opiate-like properties.
mesh_terms: D000107:Acetylation; D000818:Animals; D004723:Endorphins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005526:Food, Formulated; D008297:Male; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000187:drug effects*; D010904:Pituitary Gland, Posterior / Q000187:drug effects*; D010908:Pituitary Hormones, Anterior / Q000378:metabolism; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000378:metabolism; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D008083:beta-Lipotropin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004723:Endorphins; D010908:Pituitary Hormones, Anterior; D011498:Protein Precursors; D000431:Ethanol; D014443:Tyrosine; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin; D008083:beta-Lipotropin