Identification of pro-opiomelanocortin-derived peptides in the human adrenal medulla.
Extracts from adult human adrenals contained high concentrations of immunoreactive beta-endorphin and alpha-melanotropin. Lower quantities of immunoreactive adrenocorticotropic hormone could also be detected. Distribution studies showed the presence of pro-opiomelanocortin fragments in the adrenal medulla. No alpha-melanotropin, beta-endorphin, or adrenocorticotropic hormone could be found in adrenal extracts from several other mammalian species. Analysis of the beta-endorphin-like immunoreactivity using region specific radioimmunoassays interfacing with gel filtration and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography showed the majority of the beta-endorphin-like material to exist as nonacetylated beta-endorphin-(1-31) with a small percentage of lipotropin-sized molecules. The alpha-melanotropin-like immunoreactivity cochromatographed on gel filtration and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with desacetyl alpha-melanotropin. The data suggest that pro-opiomelanocortin is expressed in the adrenal medulla of humans but is not detectable in the adrenal glands of many other mammalian species.
D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000032:analysis; D000313:Adrenal Medulla / Q000032:analysis*; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000032:analysis; D004723:Endorphins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D009074:Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones / Q000032:analysis; D010908:Pituitary Hormones, Anterior / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
D004723:Endorphins; D010908:Pituitary Hormones, Anterior; D011498:Protein Precursors; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D009074:Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones