Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Betalipotropin and betaendorphin in physiological and surgical menopause

  • Published:
Journal of Endocrinological Investigation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

β-lipotropin (β-LPH) and β-endorphin (β-EP) plasma levels were characterized by a significant decrease in postmenopausal females (22 subjects aged from 56 to 70 yr) when compared to fertile women (22 subjects from 31 to 45 yr). On the contrary, ACTH plasma levels determined in 10 of the premenopausal and 13 of the postmenopausal subjects reported above showed constant levels in both groups. A significant increase in the β-LPH/β-EP molar ratio was observed in postmenopausal females. The plasma β-LPH and β-EP levels, studied before and 6 months after ovariectomy, showed a significant decrease in 8 out of 10 patients, while they remained constant in the other 2. Two subjects, in whom postsurgical samples were taken during a flushing episode, showed β-LPH and β-EP plasma levels which were both higher than the corresponding preovariectomy values. The results suggest that these changes may be important in explaining modifications in behavior and mood frequently found in postmenopausal females and in patients undergoing surgical castration in the fertile age.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Jacquet Y.F., Maks N. The Cfragment of β-lipotropin: an endogenous neuroleptic or antipsychotogen? Science 194: 632, 1976.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Pickar D., Cutler N., Naber D., Post R.; Pert C, Bunney W. Plasma opioid activity in manicdepressive illness. Lancet 1: 937, 1980.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Watson S., Berger P., Akil H., Mills M., Barchas J. Effects of naloxone on schizophrenia: reduction in hallucinations in a subpopulation of subjects. Science 201: 73, 1978.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Gunne L, Lindstrom L, Terenius L. Naloxoneinduced reversal of schizophrenic hallucinations. J. Neural Transm. 40: 13, 1977.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Janowsky D, Segal D., Abrams A., Bloom F., Guillemin R. Negative nalozone effects in schizophrenic patients. Psychopharmacol. Bull. 53: 295, 1977.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Verhoeven W., van Praag H., van Ree J., de Wied D. Improvement of schizophrenic patients treated with (DesTyr)gammaendorphin. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry 36: 294, 1979.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Burbach J., Loeber J., Verhoef J., Wiegant V., de Kloet E., de Wied D. Selective conversion of Bendorphin into peptides related to αand γendorphin. Mature 283: 96, 1980.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Casper R., Yen S.S.C., Wilkes M. Menopausal flushes: a neuroendocrine link with pulsatile LH secretion. Science 205: 823, 1979.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Leslie R., Pyke D., Stubbs W. Sensitivity to enkephalin as a cause of noninsulin dependent diabetes. Lancet 7: 341, 1979.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Facchinetti F., Genazzani A.R. Simultaneous radioimmunoassay for β-lipotropin and β-endorphin in human plasma. In: Albertini A., Da Prada M, Peskar B. (Eds.), Radioimmunoassay of drugs and hormones in cardiovascular medicine. Elsevier, North Holland Biochemical Press, 1979, p 347.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Genazzani A.R., Facchinetti F., Danero S., Parrini D., Petraglia F. Betalipotropin (β-LPH) and betaendorphin (BEP) and climateric women. Proceedings International Symposium on: the Menopause clinical, endocrinological and pathophysiological aspects. Serono Symposia, Viareggio, May 26th28th, 1980. (abstract) p. 9.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Jensen H.K., BlichertToft M. Serum corticotrophin, plasma Cortisol and urinary excretion of 17ketogenic steroids in the elderly (age group 6694 years). Acta Endocrinol. (Kbh.) 66: 25, 1971.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Rossier J., Frenche E., Rivier C, Ling N., Guillemin R., Bloom F. Foot shock induced stress and the content of Bendorphin in rat brain and blood. Nature 270: 618, 1979.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Krieger D.T., Liotta A.S., Suda T., Goodgold A., Condon E. Human plasma immunoreactive lipctropin and adrenocorticotropin in normal subjects and in patients with pituitary adrenal disease. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 48: 556, 1979.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Wiedemann E., Saito T., Linfoot J.A., Li C.H. Specific radioimmunoassay of human β-endorphin in unextracted plasma. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 49: 478, 1979.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Holaday J.W., Law P.Y., Loh H.H., Li C.H. Adrenal steroids indirectly modulate morphine and β-endorphin effects. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 208: 176, 1979.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Lightman S.L., McGarrick G., Maguire A.K, Jeffcoate S.L, Jacobs H.S. Reduction of the frequency of climateric flushing and LH pulses by blockade of opiate receptors. Proceedings International Symposium on: the Menopause clinical, endocrinological, and pathophysiological aspects. Serono Symposia, Viareggio, May 26th28th, 1980. (abstract) p. 44.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cattedra di Patologia Ostetrica e Ginecologica, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, 09100, Cagliari, Italy

    A. R. Genazzani & F. Petraglia

  2. Clinica Ostetrica e Ginecologica, Universita degli Studi di Siena, 53100, Siena, Italy

    F. Facchinetti, M. G. Ricci-Danero, D. Parrini & R. La Rosa

  3. Cattedra di Patologia Ostetrica e Ginecologica, Universita degli Studi di Messina, 98100, Messina, Italy

    N. D’Antona

Authors
  1. A. R. Genazzani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. F. Facchinetti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. M. G. Ricci-Danero
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. D. Parrini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. F. Petraglia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. R. La Rosa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. N. D’Antona
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Genazzani, A.R., Facchinetti, F., Ricci-Danero, M.G. et al. Betalipotropin and betaendorphin in physiological and surgical menopause. J Endocrinol Invest 4, 375–378 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03348298

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03348298

Keywords

Search

Navigation