Nonopioid effect of β-endorphin

• Published in: Biochemistry (Moscow) Vol. 76; no. 4; pp. 379 - 393
• Main Authors: Kovalitskaya, Yu. A., Navolotskaya, E. V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht SP MAIK Nauka/Interperiodica 01.04.2011; Springer
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Beta-endorphin; beta-Endorphin - metabolism; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Bioorganic Chemistry; Endocrine System - metabolism; Enkephalins - metabolism; Hormones; Humans; Immune System - cytology; Immune System - metabolism; Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments - chemistry; Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments - metabolism; Life Sciences; Microbiology; Molecular Sequence Data; Nervous System - metabolism; Receptors, Opioid - metabolism; Review; immune system; nervous system; adrenal glands; naloxone-insensitive receptor; β-endorphin peptides
• ISSN: 0006-2979; 1608-3040
• DOI: 10.1134/S0006297911040018

This review presents the generalized literature data and the results of our own research of the nonopioid effect of β-endorphin, an opioid neuropeptide interacting not only with opioid but also with nonopioid (insensitive to the opioid antagonist naloxone) receptors. The roles of the hormone and its receptors in regulation of the immune, nervous, and endocrine systems are discussed. The effect of neuromediator on the immune system mediated by both opioid and nonopioid receptors is considered in detail. The data on distribution and function of the nonopioid β-endorphin receptor in human and animal organisms are presented. All available data on the characteristics of the nonopioid β-endorphin receptor obtained by means of radioligand analysis are given. The discussed information is supposed to extend our conceptions of the role of β-endorphin in mammals and to be of extensive use in medicine and pharmacology.