beta-endorphin and Uterine-Neoplasms

During the first half of gestation in the rat, prolactin (PRL) from the anterior pituitary gland exerts its luteotropic function on the ovary to stimulate progesterone secretion. During this period, beta-endorphin stimulates PRL secretion by regulation of dopaminergic neurons in the hypothalamus. During the second half, placental lactogens (PLs) take the place of PRL in maintenance of pregnancy, and initiate a negative feedback to suppress PRL secretion. However, the effect of PLs on beta-endorphinergic neurons is not known. The aim of this study was to examine the possibility that PLs suppress PRL secretion by inhibiting beta-endorphinergic neuronal activity. To accomplish this aim, we examined the changes in the neuronal activity of beta-endorphinergic neurons in the mediobasal hypothalamus, as measured by Fos immunoreactivity, after manipulating the levels of PRL and PLs during pregnancy. On day 4 of pregnancy, animals received either Rcho-1 cells in the lateral ventricle that secrete PLs or HRP-1 cells as controls. In a separate experiment on day 12, hysterectomy was performed to remove the intrinsic source of PLs. These rats received Rcho-1 cells, HRP-1 cells, or nothing. Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of Rcho-1 into hysterectomized rats was done to examine the effect of PL replacement. Sham-hysterectomy was also performed as a control. Animals were sacrificed 2 days after each treatment at 0200 h, 1400 h, and 1800 h. Brains were used for dual immunocytochemistry of Fos/beta-endorphin. The neuronal activity of beta-endorphinergic neurons of HRP-1 i.c.v. injected animals showed a daily rhythm, with high levels at 0200 h and 1800 h, and a low level at 1400 h. These animals also exhibited two surges of PRL secretion on day 6 of pregnancy. This rhythmicity of beta-endorphinergic neurons was also observed in Rcho-1 i.c.v. injected animals, which showed very low and unchanging PRL levels. However, the magnitude of neuronal activity was reduced. On day 14 of pregnancy, all four experimental groups showed diurnal rhythms of beta-endorphinergic neurons. This rhythmicity occurred even though PRL was elevated at all three time points in the hysterectomized rats and very low in the Rcho-1 i.c.v. injected hysterectomized and sham-hysterectomized rats. Our results demonstrate that there is a diurnal rhythm of beta-endorphinergic neuronal activity in the mediobasal hypothalamus during pregnancy in the rat. PLs might reduce the neuronal activity of beta-

Topics: Analysis of Variance; Animals; beta-Endorphin; Cells, Cultured; Choriocarcinoma; Female; Hypothalamus, Middle; Male; Neoplasm Transplantation; Neurons; Pregnancy; Pregnancy, Animal; Prolactin; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Tumor Cells, Cultured; Uterine Neoplasms

In order to explore the correlation between endometriosis and beta-Endorphin, Dynorphin, the beta-Endorphin and Dynorphin levels in menstrual blood of normal women and patients with endometriosis, and the pituitary-hypothalamic beta-Endorphin and Dynorphin levels in animal models were determined. The results indicated: (1) The plasma beta-Endorphin and Dynorphin levels in patients with endometriosis were significantly lower than those in normal women (P < 0.05); the plasma beta-Endorphin levels in patients with endometriosis were significantly higher after treatment of Endometriosis Pill No. 2 (P < 0.05). (2) The pituitary and hypothalamic beta-Endorphin levels in untreated group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05); the hypothalamic beta-Endorphin in treated group were obviously higher than those in untreated group (108.35 +/- 35.38 and 66.63 +/- 14.29 respectively). The above-mentioned results presented evidence that the low beta-Endorphin and Dynorphin levels in endometriotic patients play a role in dysmenorrhea; the effect of Endometriosis Pill No. 2 in relieving dysmenorrhea was realized through an increase of plasma and hypothalamic beta-Endorphin levels. (3) The Pituitary and hypothalamic beta-Endorphin levels were significantly different between the animal models of endometriosis and normal control groups.

Topics: Adult; Animals; beta-Endorphin; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Dynorphins; Dysmenorrhea; Endometriosis; Female; Humans; Hypothalamus; Peptide Fragments; Pituitary Gland; Rabbits; Uterine Neoplasms

Topics: Adult; Aged; beta-Endorphin; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Ovarian Neoplasms; Uterine Neoplasms

The present study was designed to explore the effects of opioid peptides on the immune systems of intact nude mice and nude mice bearing human ovarian cancer cells (KF). When spleen cells from intact nude mice were incubated with medium alone, a significant ability of spleen cells to lyse the KF cells was not observed. However, incubation of the spleen cells with 1 microM beta-endorphin or 1 microM alpha-endorphin induced a significant lytic activity on the KF cells. The control-level lytic activity was increased significantly to about 4.5-fold by 1 microM beta-endorphin and about 3.7-fold by 10 microM met-enkephalin. These results suggest that opioid peptides play a crucial role in cellular immunity. Thus, we examined plasma levels of beta-endorphin in patients with ovarian or uterine carcinoma. The plasma beta-endorphin levels in patients with ovarian or uterine carcinoma were significantly higher (more than twofold) than those of age-matched healthy women.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Animals; Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity; beta-Endorphin; Cell Division; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Endorphins; Female; Humans; Immunity, Cellular; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Nude; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Transplantation; Ovarian Neoplasms; Spleen; Tumor Cells, Cultured; Uterine Neoplasms