Effects of space flight stress on proopiomelanocortin, proenkephalin A, and tachykinin neuropeptidergic systems in the rat posterior pituitary.
beta-endorphin-like immunoreactivity (BE-li), methionine enkephalin-like immunoreactivity (ME-li), and substance P-like immunoreactivity (SP-li) were measured in the posterior pituitary of rats that experienced a 5-day space flight in a Space Shuttle. ME-li and SP-li were both significantly lower compared to the control rats. However, there was no difference in BE-li between flight and control rats. These data suggest that the space flight stress diminished the methionine enkephalin (ME) and substance P (SP) concentrations in the posterior pituitary without affecting the beta-endorphin (BE) concentration. Thus, the proenkephalin A and tachykinin, but not proopiomelanocortin, neuropeptidergic systems in the posterior pituitary may respond to this type of unique stress.
Zhu
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Charles B. Stout Neuroscience Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, University of Tennessee, Memphis 38163.
Desiderio
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D000818:Animals; D004745:Enkephalins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D010904:Pituitary Gland, Posterior / Q000378:metabolism*; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013026:Space Flight; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000378:metabolism*; D013373:Substance P / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology
D004745:Enkephalins; D011498:Protein Precursors; C029992:proenkephalin; D013373:Substance P; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin