Increase of beta-endorphin in cerebrospinal fluid after removal of ACTH-secreting pituitary adenoma.
beta-Endorphin and methionine(met)-enkephalin in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were measured before and after removal of an adrenocorticotropic hormone-(ACTH)-secreting adenoma in Cushing's disease by a sensitive radioimmunoassay and a radio-receptor assay, respectively. After tumor resection, the level of ACTH in plasma markedly decreased from 82.6 +/- 22.7 pg/ml to 16.7 +/- 4.1 pg/ml (mean +/- S.E., n = 4). It was found that the level of beta-endorphin in CSF significantly increases from 32.0 +/- 4.5 pg/ml to 61.8 +/- 10.7 pg/ml (P less than 0.05) after tumor resection, while the level of metenkephalin in CSF remained unaltered. This result suggests that hypophysectomy induces an increase of beta-endorphin in CSF.
D000236:Adenoma / Q000601:surgery*; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D004723:Endorphins / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine; D004745:Enkephalins / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007016:Hypophysectomy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010148:Intractable Pain / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D001615:beta-Endorphin
D004723:Endorphins; D004745:Enkephalins; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone