Millan M H, Millan M J, Przewłocki R
Neurosci Lett. 1984 Jul 27;48(2):149-54. doi: 10.1016/0304-3940(84)90011-9.
Radiofrequency destruction of the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus, the exclusive central location of beta-endorphin (beta-EP)-synthesizing neurones, greatly depressed levels of immunoreactive (ir)-beta-EP in the hypothalamus. However, the content of ir-dynorphin (DYN) therein was also decreased, in parallel with that of ir-beta-EP. Levels of ir-Met-enkephalin (ME) were, in contrast, unaffected. In the midbrain and septum, the content of ir-beta-EP was greatly depleted; in the former but not latter tissue, levels of ir-DYN were also diminished whilst levels of ir-ME were not affected in either of these structures. Further, in the neurointermediate pituitary, the content of ir-beta-EP was depressed while that of ir-DYN was not changed, whereas, in the anterior pituitary, levels of ir-beta-EP were not altered in contrast to those of ir-DYN which were decreased. Destruction of the arcuate nucleus is not, therefore, restricted to selective effects upon central beta-EP neurones: this finding is of importance for studies of the role of central beta-EP via lesioning techniques. The data suggest an interaction of the arcuate nucleus and, possibly, beta-EP with particular brain and pituitary pools of DYN.
下丘脑弓状核是β-内啡肽（β-EP）合成神经元唯一的中枢位置，对其进行射频损毁后，下丘脑内免疫反应性（ir）-β-EP的水平大幅降低。然而，其中ir-强啡肽（DYN）的含量也随之下降，与ir-β-EP的下降情况平行。相比之下，ir-甲硫氨酸脑啡肽（ME）的水平未受影响。在中脑和隔区，ir-β-EP的含量大幅减少；在中脑组织中ir-DYN的水平也降低了，但隔区组织中ir-DYN水平未降低，而这两个结构中ir-ME的水平均未受影响。此外，在神经垂体中间叶，ir-β-EP的含量降低，而ir-DYN的含量未改变，然而，在垂体前叶，ir-β-EP的水平未改变，与之形成对比的是，ir-DYN的水平降低。因此，损毁弓状核并不局限于对中枢β-EP神经元产生选择性影响：这一发现对于通过损伤技术研究中枢β-EP的作用具有重要意义。数据表明弓状核以及可能的β-EP与特定脑区和垂体中DYN池之间存在相互作用。
