Biomaterial Database

Effects of branched-chain amino acids on beta-endorphin in the pituitary of the rat. 1985

B J Cobert, and W L Dewey, and J K Stewart

Despite evidence that the branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) influence brain metabolism and neurotransmitter synthesis, there is little information on the neuroendocrine effects of the BCAAs. We now report that administration of a mixture of the BCAAs 3 times daily for 12 days to Sprague-Dawley rats decreased the concentration of beta-endorphin immunoreactivity (BEI) in the neurointermediate lobe of the pituitary. In BCAA-treated rats, BEI was 21 +/- 4 compared to control levels of 57 +/- 12 (ng/microgram of protein). The BCAAs had no effect on the level of BEI in the adenohypophysis. These findings suggest that changes in availability of leucine, isoleucine, and valine mediate specific neuroendocrine responses to metabolic perturbations in the rat.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D010903	Pituitary Gland, Anterior	The anterior glandular lobe of the pituitary gland, also known as the adenohypophysis. It secretes the ADENOHYPOPHYSEAL HORMONES that regulate vital functions such as GROWTH; METABOLISM; and REPRODUCTION.	Adenohypophysis,Anterior Lobe of Pituitary,Anterior Pituitary Gland,Lobus Anterior,Pars Distalis of Pituitary,Adenohypophyses,Anterior Pituitary Glands,Anterior, Lobus,Anteriors, Lobus,Lobus Anteriors,Pituitary Anterior Lobe,Pituitary Glands, Anterior,Pituitary Pars Distalis
D010904	Pituitary Gland, Posterior	Neural tissue of the pituitary gland, also known as the neurohypophysis. It consists of the distal AXONS of neurons that produce VASOPRESSIN and OXYTOCIN in the SUPRAOPTIC NUCLEUS and the PARAVENTRICULAR NUCLEUS. These axons travel down through the MEDIAN EMINENCE, the hypothalamic infundibulum of the PITUITARY STALK, to the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland.	Neurohypophysis,Infundibular Process,Lobus Nervosus,Neural Lobe,Pars Nervosa of Pituitary,Posterior Lobe of Pituitary,Gland, Posterior Pituitary,Infundibular Processes,Lobe, Neural,Lobes, Neural,Nervosus, Lobus,Neural Lobes,Pituitary Pars Nervosa,Pituitary Posterior Lobe,Posterior Pituitary Gland,Posterior Pituitary Glands,Process, Infundibular,Processes, Infundibular
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
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
D000597	Amino Acids, Branched-Chain	Amino acids which have a branched carbon chain.	Branched-Chain Amino Acid,Amino Acids, Branched Chain,Acid, Branched-Chain Amino,Acids, Branched-Chain Amino,Amino Acid, Branched-Chain,Branched Chain Amino Acid,Branched-Chain Amino Acids
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
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