title: The results of exposure to immobilization, hemorrhagic shock, and cardiac hypertrophy on beta-endorphin in rat cardiac tissue.
abstract: In the present study, beta-endorphin (BE), beta-lipotropin (B-LPH) and the ratio of beta-endorphin to beta-lipotropin (BE:B-LPH) were determined in rat cardiac tissue in response to physical stress induced by immobilization and cardiovascular stress resulting from hemorrhagic shock and pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy. As compared with controls, BE was increased and B-LPH was decreased in cardiac tissue from animals subjected to immobilization, and there was also a significant rise in the ratio of BE:B-LPH. Cardiac BE remained unchanged following hemorrhage, while B-LPH was diminished, resulting in an increase in the ratio of BE:B-LPH. Similarly, the concentration of BE was unchanged, the concentration of B-LPH was significantly diminished and the ratio of BE:B-LPH was significantly increased in hypertrophied hearts. Thus, immobilization-induced stress, hemorrhagic shock, and cardiac hypertrophy all increased the ratio of BE:B-LPH in the heart. However, it appears that immobilization stress induces an increase in cardiac BE, whereas cardiovascular stress results in a preservation of BE in the heart and a reduction in cardiac B-LPH. The data suggests that physical stress (induced by immobilization) and cardiovascular stress (i.e., hemorrhage, hypertrophy) have differential effects on the synthesis of BE and the post-translational processing of proopiomelanocortin in the heart. Furthermore, the alterations in cardiac tissue BE and possibly B-LPH may play a role in the response of the heart to physical and cardiovascular stress.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, School of Osteopathic Medicine, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Stratford 08084.
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Forman
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Hock
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harwell
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Estilow-Isabell
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006332:Cardiomegaly / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012771:Shock, Hemorrhagic / Q000378:metabolism*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism*; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000378:metabolism*; D008083:beta-Lipotropin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001615:beta-Endorphin; D008083:beta-Lipotropin