REVIEW: Nonopioid Effect of β-Endorphin

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Yu. A. Kovalitskaya^* and E. V. Navolotskaya

Branch of Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, pr. Nauki 6, 142290 Pushchino, Moscow Region, Russia; fax: (4967) 33-0527; E-mail: kovalitskaya@inbox.ru

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received June 9, 2010; Revision received August 23, 2010

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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.

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KEY WORDS: β-endorphin peptides, naloxone-insensitive receptor, immune system, nervous system, adrenal glands

DOI: 10.1134/S0006297911040018

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