Plasma met-enkephalin, beta-endorphin and leu-enkephalin levels in human hepatic encephalopathy.
To address the role of the opioid system in the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) we measured plasma met-enkephalin, beta-endorphin and leu-enkephalin in patients with different grades of HE compared to control subjects and patients with cirrhosis. Plasma met-enkephalin levels were significantly higher in patients with cirrhosis and all grades of HE than controls. Plasma beta-endorphin levels were similar in the 3 groups. Plasma leu-enkephalin levels were significantly higher in HE grades II, III and IV than in controls, patients with cirrhosis and HE grade I patients. Our results support data on the involvement of met-enkephalin and leu-enkephalin in the pathogenesis of HE and provide a rationale for the use of opioid receptor antagonists in the treatment of HE.
Department of Clinical Chemistry, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Egypt. kmlaila@yahoo.com
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Kamel
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Saleh
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Morsy
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Ghali
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El Khayat
D000641:Ammonia / Q000097:blood; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015984:Causality; D004534:Egypt; D004743:Enkephalin, Leucine / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000097:blood*; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000097:blood*; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000097:blood* / Q000145:classification / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications; D019693:Hepatitis, Autoimmune / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood / Q000145:classification / Q000209:etiology; D008657:Metabolic Clearance Rate; D009271:Naltrexone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000097:blood*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000097:blood*
D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine; D004743:Enkephalin, Leucine; D009271:Naltrexone; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D000641:Ammonia; C038981:nalmefene