Plasma beta-endorphin immunoreactivity in schizophrenia.

Plasma beta-endorphin-like immunoreactivity was measured by a method that was equally sensitive to beta-endorphin and [Leu5]-beta-endorphin. Immunoreactivity in 98 schizophrenic patients did not differ greatly from that in 42 normal subjects. No immunoreactivity was detectable in dialyzates from first-time hemodialysis of eight nonpsychotic renal patients and nine schizophrenic patients. These results are not compatible with recent reports of extremely high concentrations of [Leu5]-beta-endorphin in hemodialyzates from schizophrenic patients.