title: Characterization of beta-endorphin immunoreactive peptides in rat pituitary and brain by coupled gel and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography.
abstract: A procedure which combines gel high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and reversed-phase HPLC in two systems with radioimmunoassay was developed for the analysis of beta-endorphin (beta END)-related peptides in rat pituitary and brain. The gel HPLC system allows rapid screening for relative amounts of precursors and products involved in beta END biosynthesis. Reversed-phase HPLC reveals minor post-translational modifications, such as acetylation, which greatly alter the biological activity of beta END. The application of this coupled procedure clearly demonstrates tissue-specific differences in the processing of beta END in pituitary and brain regions and indicates that the system may be generally applicable to the analysis of neuropeptide heterogeneity.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004723:Endorphins / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D010455:Peptides / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D001615:beta-Endorphin
chemical_list: D004723:Endorphins; D010455:Peptides; D001615:beta-Endorphin