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Biomedical subjects

M Häni

Publications and source records attributed to M Häni.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

Beta-endorphin in the brainstem and the cerebellum of the human infant: regional levels' profile assessed with immunoaffinity chromatography and solid phase radioimmunoassay.

The regional levels' profile of human beta-endorphin (beta h-EP) was studied in the brainstem and the cerebellum of 16 infant victims of "Sudden Infant Death Syndrome" and other death causes. An immunoaffinity chromatography procedure based on a monoclonal antibody directed specifically against the N-terminus of beta-EP was used to extract this peptide from the tissue samples. Beta-EP was then assessed quantitatively by means of a very sensitive solid phase radioimmunoassay (using a polyclonal antibody specific for the C-terminus of beta-EP) developed especially for the study presented here.

Brain Stem↗

Cerebral beta-endorphin levels in a woman with Prader-Labhart-Willi syndrome.

By means of a specific two-site immunoradiometric assay, we explored the beta-endorphin levels in various brain regions of a patient affected by Prader-Labhart-Willi Syndrome. The rank of the beta-endorphin levels of five cerebral zones (hypothalamus, substantia grisea centralis, pons dorsalis, medulla oblongata dorsalis medialis, thalamus medialis) of the patient was homologous to that of subjects without the syndrome, except for the medulla oblongata dorsalis medialis. In patient with the Prader-Labhart-Willi Syndrome this region had a higher ranking level than in subjects without it. However, a functional meaning cannot be attributed to such difference because the patient of this study did not exhibit neurological disturbances relating to elevated beta-endorphin levels in the medullary region investigated.

Adult↗

A novel two-site immunoradiometric assay for beta-endorphin using nitrocellulose as solid phase.

A two-site immunoradiometric assay for the highly specific direct quantitation of nonacetylated beta h-EP in crude brain tissue samples has been developed with a detection limit of 10 fmol per well. The assay used two different antibodies with distinct specificities: a polyclonal rabbit anti-beta h-EP antibody binding between the middle portion and the C-terminal end of beta h-EP was bound to nitrocellulose membrane discs, a solid phase with a high protein binding capacity. In the following two incubation steps, the beta h-EP containing crude tissue extract--or the beta h-EP-standard--and, subsequently, the 125I-labeled monoclonal 3-E7 mouse antibody directed against the N-terminus of beta h-EP were added. Binding of beta h-EP to the solid phase antibody in the first incubation step was not affected by the addition of cross reacting opioid peptides derived from beta h-LPH up to 10 pmol per disc. Nonspecific binding of the labeled antibody to the solid phase could be lowered to 3% of total counts by the use of PBS containing nonfat dry milk as blocking solution and incubation buffer, a procedure that did not reduce maximum specific binding. Dilution studies performed with extracts sampled from the anterior hypothalamus excluded the interference of tissue factors in the assay.

Brain↗