Biomaterial Database

gamma-Endorphin generating endopeptidase in rat brain: subcellular and regional distribution. 1985

J L Lebouille, and J P Burbach, and E R de Kloet

beta-Endorphin is converted into the biologically active fragment gamma-endorphin by an endopeptidase which we term "gamma-endorphin generating endopeptidase". Subcellular and regional distributions of this endopeptidase activity in rat brain were studied by a newly developed assay. After subcellular fractionation of rat brain tissue gamma-endorphin generating endopeptidase activity was predominantly recovered in the cytosolic fraction. A 10 to 15 fold lower activity was present in synaptosomes, mitochondria and synaptic membranes. Hardly any endopeptidase activity was detected in nuclei and myelin. The endopeptidase activity in cytosolic and particulate fraction was found throughout brain, pituitary and spinal cord in a rather homogeneous fashion. Cytosolic activity in all brain parts was 10 to 15 fold higher than the activity in the particulate fraction. It is suggested that rather the beta-endorphin distribution than the endopeptidase is restricting for gamma-endorphin production in certain brain parts.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D010450	Endopeptidases	A subclass of PEPTIDE HYDROLASES that catalyze the internal cleavage of PEPTIDES or PROTEINS.	Endopeptidase,Peptide Peptidohydrolases
D011919	Rats, Inbred Strains	Genetically identical individuals developed from brother and sister matings which have been carried out for twenty or more generations or by parent x offspring matings carried out with certain restrictions. This also includes animals with a long history of closed colony breeding.	August Rats,Inbred Rat Strains,Inbred Strain of Rat,Inbred Strain of Rats,Inbred Strains of Rats,Rat, Inbred Strain,August Rat,Inbred Rat Strain,Inbred Strain Rat,Inbred Strain Rats,Inbred Strains Rat,Inbred Strains Rats,Rat Inbred Strain,Rat Inbred Strains,Rat Strain, Inbred,Rat Strains, Inbred,Rat, August,Rat, Inbred Strains,Rats Inbred Strain,Rats Inbred Strains,Rats, August,Rats, Inbred Strain,Strain Rat, Inbred,Strain Rats, Inbred,Strain, Inbred Rat,Strains, Inbred Rat
D001921	Brain	The part of CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM that is contained within the skull (CRANIUM). Arising from the NEURAL TUBE, the embryonic brain is comprised of three major parts including PROSENCEPHALON (the forebrain); MESENCEPHALON (the midbrain); and RHOMBENCEPHALON (the hindbrain). The developed brain consists of CEREBRUM; CEREBELLUM; and other structures in the BRAIN STEM.	Encephalon
D003600	Cytosol	Intracellular fluid from the cytoplasm after removal of ORGANELLES and other insoluble cytoplasmic components.	Cytosols
D004723	Endorphins	One of the three major groups of endogenous opioid peptides. They are large peptides derived from the PRO-OPIOMELANOCORTIN precursor. The known members of this group are alpha-, beta-, and gamma-endorphin. The term endorphin is also sometimes used to refer to all opioid peptides, but the narrower sense is used here; OPIOID PEPTIDES is used for the broader group.	Endorphin
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001615	beta-Endorphin	A 31-amino acid peptide that is the C-terminal fragment of BETA-LIPOTROPIN. It acts on OPIOID RECEPTORS and is an analgesic. Its first four amino acids at the N-terminal are identical to the tetrapeptide sequence of METHIONINE ENKEPHALIN and LEUCINE ENKEPHALIN.	Endorphin, beta,beta-Endorphin (1-31),beta Endorphin
D014018	Tissue Distribution	Accumulation of a drug or chemical substance in various organs (including those not relevant to its pharmacologic or therapeutic action). This distribution depends on the blood flow or perfusion rate of the organ, the ability of the drug to penetrate organ membranes, tissue specificity, protein binding. The distribution is usually expressed as tissue to plasma ratios.	Distribution, Tissue,Distributions, Tissue,Tissue Distributions
D051381	Rats	The common name for the genus Rattus.	Rattus,Rats, Laboratory,Rats, Norway,Rattus norvegicus,Laboratory Rat,Laboratory Rats,Norway Rat,Norway Rats,Rat,Rat, Laboratory,Rat, Norway,norvegicus, Rattus