A total of 21 human fetal pituitaries was collected from spontaneous abortions (11 cases) or prostaglandin (PG)-induced abortions at the second trimester. Pituitaries were homogenized, fractionated by HPLC, and the fractions were tested by specific RIA for α-endorphin (EP) (ß-EP 1-16), 7-EP γ-EP 1-17), ß-EP (ß-EP 1-31), and their α-N-acetylated derivatives. In the fetal pituitaries collected after spontaneous abortion, the contents of α-EP (23.4 ± 7.5 pmol/mg prot, mean ± SE) and γ-EP (28.9 ± 9.7) were similar to those of ß-EP (28.6 ± 7.4). Both ß-EP/α-EP (1.2 ± 0.3) and ß-EP/γ-EP (1.1 ± 0.3) ratios approached unity. Although 35.7 and 30.2% of α-EP and γ-EP were acetylated, acetyl-ß-EP was only 8.4% of the total ß-EP immnoreactivity. In the five cases of PG-induced abortion that were more than 20 wk of pregnancy, the pituitary content of ß-EP (75.9 ± 21.2) and γ-EP (26.2 ± 7.5) were significantly higher than in samples collected after spontaneous abortion (13.3 ± 8.2 and 5.9 ± 1.8, respectively, p<0.01). On the contrary, neither a-EP (31.3 ± 5.2), acetyl-α-EP (0.94 ± 0.28), acetyl-γ-EP (0.65 ± 0.07), acetyl-ß-EP (0.35 ± 0.05) pituitary contents in PG-induced abortions differed from those measured after spontaneous abortion (α-EP: 25.6 ± 6.6; acetyl-α-EP: 0.92 ± 0.41; acetyl-γ-EP: 0.82 ± 0.30; acetyl-ß-EP: 0.96 ± 0.44). In fetal pituitaries collected between the 13th and the 17th wk of pregnancy, no differences were seen comparing PG-induced and spontaneous abortions. These data demonstrate that in the fetal pituitary: 1) ß-EP retains its opioid biologic activity because only a small percentage is acetylated, 2) shortened endorphins are quantitatively as important as ß-EP, and 3) after mid-gestation, the fetal proopiomelanocortin synthesis or processing may be sensitive to endocrine or environmental stimuli.

Facchinetti, F., Storchi, A.R., Petraglia, F., Genazzani, A.R. (1989). Presence of acetylated and shortened endorphins in human fetal pituitary gland. PEDIATRIC RESEARCH, 25(6), 652-655 [10.1203/00006450-198906000-00020].

Presence of acetylated and shortened endorphins in human fetal pituitary gland

Petraglia, F.;
1989-01-01

Abstract

A total of 21 human fetal pituitaries was collected from spontaneous abortions (11 cases) or prostaglandin (PG)-induced abortions at the second trimester. Pituitaries were homogenized, fractionated by HPLC, and the fractions were tested by specific RIA for α-endorphin (EP) (ß-EP 1-16), 7-EP γ-EP 1-17), ß-EP (ß-EP 1-31), and their α-N-acetylated derivatives. In the fetal pituitaries collected after spontaneous abortion, the contents of α-EP (23.4 ± 7.5 pmol/mg prot, mean ± SE) and γ-EP (28.9 ± 9.7) were similar to those of ß-EP (28.6 ± 7.4). Both ß-EP/α-EP (1.2 ± 0.3) and ß-EP/γ-EP (1.1 ± 0.3) ratios approached unity. Although 35.7 and 30.2% of α-EP and γ-EP were acetylated, acetyl-ß-EP was only 8.4% of the total ß-EP immnoreactivity. In the five cases of PG-induced abortion that were more than 20 wk of pregnancy, the pituitary content of ß-EP (75.9 ± 21.2) and γ-EP (26.2 ± 7.5) were significantly higher than in samples collected after spontaneous abortion (13.3 ± 8.2 and 5.9 ± 1.8, respectively, p<0.01). On the contrary, neither a-EP (31.3 ± 5.2), acetyl-α-EP (0.94 ± 0.28), acetyl-γ-EP (0.65 ± 0.07), acetyl-ß-EP (0.35 ± 0.05) pituitary contents in PG-induced abortions differed from those measured after spontaneous abortion (α-EP: 25.6 ± 6.6; acetyl-α-EP: 0.92 ± 0.41; acetyl-γ-EP: 0.82 ± 0.30; acetyl-ß-EP: 0.96 ± 0.44). In fetal pituitaries collected between the 13th and the 17th wk of pregnancy, no differences were seen comparing PG-induced and spontaneous abortions. These data demonstrate that in the fetal pituitary: 1) ß-EP retains its opioid biologic activity because only a small percentage is acetylated, 2) shortened endorphins are quantitatively as important as ß-EP, and 3) after mid-gestation, the fetal proopiomelanocortin synthesis or processing may be sensitive to endocrine or environmental stimuli.
1989
Facchinetti, F., Storchi, A.R., Petraglia, F., Genazzani, A.R. (1989). Presence of acetylated and shortened endorphins in human fetal pituitary gland. PEDIATRIC RESEARCH, 25(6), 652-655 [10.1203/00006450-198906000-00020].
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11365/36552
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