title: Alterations of plasma opioid activity in human diabetics.
abstract: Plasma opioid levels were determined in 9 obese non-diabetic subjects, their 8 age matched controls, and in 29 diabetic patients; 10 maintained on diet alone, 6 on an oral hypoglycemic agent (chlorpropamide) and 13 treated with insulin. Five age matched controls for the diabetic groups were also studied for comparison. beta-endorphin and met-enkephalin levels were measured by radioimmunoassay. Enkephalin-like activity was measured by a receptor assay. Among the study groups, diabetic patients receiving insulin showed a 64% elevation of plasma beta-endorphins and diabetic patients on chlorpropamide showed a 121% increase in enkephalin-like activity. There were no statistically significant differences in the plasma met-enkephalin values in the treatment groups though levels were decreased (p less than 0.05) in diabetics vs non-diabetics. The pathophysiological importance of these alterations remains to be elucidated.
mesh_terms: D002747:Chlorpropamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood*; D003927:Diet, Diabetic; D004723:Endorphins / Q000097:blood*; D004743:Enkephalin, Leucine / Q000097:blood; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine / Q000097:blood; D004745:Enkephalins / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D011869:Radioligand Assay; D012016:Reference Values; D001615:beta-Endorphin
chemical_list: D004723:Endorphins; D004745:Enkephalins; D007328:Insulin; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine; D004743:Enkephalin, Leucine; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D002747:Chlorpropamide