title: Neuropeptide FF-like immunoreactivity in human cerebrospinal fluid of chronic pain patients and healthy controls.
abstract: Neuropeptide FF (NPFF) is a neuropeptide with some antiopioid characters found in several mammalian species. In human brain it might be an important pain-regulating peptide. Using a specific and sensitive radioimmunoassay we found a mean concentration of NPFF in human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of healthy volunteers of 1.6 +/- 1.1 pg/ml (n = 19) and in chronic pain (CPD) patients of 1.4 +/- 1.2 pg/ml (n = 16). The NPFF concentrations in CSF and plasma did not correlate. There was no difference in the NPFF concentrations in CSF and plasma between CPD patients and healthy controls. NPFF in CPD patients did not correlate significally with any pain characteristic. This study provides evidence for the presence of NPFF in human brain, but does not support the hypothesis that chronic pain is a consequence of elevated production of NPFF.
authors.affiliation: Minerva Institute for Medical Research, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Sundblom
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kalso
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tigerstedt
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wahlbeck
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Panula
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fyhrquist
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007120:Immunochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000502:physiology; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000502:physiology; D010146:Pain / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D009479:Neuropeptides; D009842:Oligopeptides; C053651:phenylalanyl-leucyl-phenylalanyl-glutaminyl-prolyl-glutaminyl-arginyl-phenylalaninamide