蛋氨酸脑啡肽—阿片受体激活免疫细胞抗肿瘤活性的研究进展

蛋氨酸脑啡肽(MENK)是人体中的一种神经递质,其阿片受体广泛存在于免疫细胞表面。MENK与阿片受体相结合,通过调节cAMP-PKA信号通路、Ca2+-钙调蛋白、蛋白激酶C等多种物质的表达,参与到免疫细胞的成熟分化。进一步研究提示,适当剂量的MENK通过激活T细胞、NK细胞、LAK细胞等发挥抗肿瘤的作用。此外,MENK-阿片生长因子受体(OGFr)通路的过表达,直接抑制肿瘤发展与血管生长。     

蛋氨酸脑啡肽抑制人胃癌细胞BGC823增殖作用及免疫调节机制

采用不同浓度梯度的蛋氨酸脑啡肽(methionine enkephalin,MENK)体外作用于人胃癌细胞BGC823后,探讨对其增殖影响及其作用机制,为胃癌的免疫治疗提供理论依据。体外培养人胃癌细胞株BGC823,PCR检测阿片受体OGFr的表达;用不同浓度(0、1、2、3、4 mg/mL)的MENK体外作用于BGC823细胞24、48、72、96 h后,MTS检测MENK对其增殖影响;流式细胞术和Annexin V-FITC/PI双染法检测4 mg/mL MENK体外处理48、72 h后BGC823细胞凋亡变化。结果显示,人胃癌BGC823细胞有阿片受体OGFr的表达;MENK可抑制BGC823细胞增殖,且随着剂量的增加和时间的延长,其抑制作用逐渐增强(P0.05);4 mg/mL MENK48 h处理组与空白组相比细胞凋亡率增加,72 h处理组与48 h处理组结果一致(P0.05)。结果表明,MENK可抑制BGC823细胞增殖,具有显著的剂量依赖性和时间依赖性,且可通过诱导细胞凋亡抑制BGC823细胞的增殖。     

生物活性肽-蛋氨酸脑啡肽对成骨细胞增殖的影响

蛋氨酸脑啡肽（Methionine Enkephalin,MENK）作为内源性物质,通过与阿片受体结合,发挥阿片样物质的生物学作用。研究表明,MENK在成熟的骨组织和成骨细胞中均有分布,并且在成骨细胞表面发现了阿片受体。实验旨在进一步研究MENK对成骨细胞增殖的影响。体外培养MC3T3-E1成骨细胞,MTT方法检测MENK对成骨细胞增殖的影响。结果表明,10-7、10-8、10-9mol/L的MENK对成骨细胞的增殖具有促进作用（P〈0.05）。提示MENK可在骨缺损疾病中发挥促进骨组织重建的作用。     

肠道菌群对蛋氨酸脑啡肽治疗肿瘤疗效的影响

蛋氨酸脑啡肽(Methionine enkephalin,MENK)是一种内源性阿片肽,有良好的抗肿瘤作用,而肠道菌群对MENK抗肿瘤作用的影响尚不清楚.本研究建立小鼠肠道菌群紊乱模型及荷瘤小鼠模型,以16s rRNA测序法检测肠道菌群丰度、监测小鼠体重、绘制肿瘤生长曲线,以流式细胞术检测小鼠肿瘤浸润CD4+T细胞、C...     

蛋氨酸脑啡肽对免疫系统恢复作用的研究

采用固相合成法合成蛋氨酸脑啡肽,制备成注射液。对经放化疗后免疫系统受到伤害的晚期肿瘤志愿者进行治疗,经静脉滴注15 d。患者免疫系统指标全面迅速恢复,淋巴细胞亚群间比例趋于合理,证明蛋氨酸脑啡肽可以用于癌症患者的免疫系统的恢复治疗。     

生物肽-蛋氨酸脑啡肽增强树突状细胞抗肿瘤活性研究

采用反复冻融法制备Rac-1淋巴瘤细胞总抗原,与树突状细胞（DC2.4）共培养制备DC瘤苗;设置不同实验组,M组及RM组加入蛋氨酸脑啡肽（MENK）,研究MENK对DC瘤苗抗肿瘤细胞的杀伤活性影响。结果表明：MENK作用于DC瘤苗后,DC2.4形态上更趋向于成熟,且CD86、MHC-Ⅱ类分子表达水平与对照组相比较明显升高;DC2.4酸性磷酸酶（ACP）含量与对照组相比较明显减少而IL-12的分泌水平升高;同时,DC2.4诱导淋巴细胞增殖能力增强,且诱导活化的淋巴细胞对Rac-1淋巴瘤细胞的杀伤活性与对照组相比较明显增强。结果可见,MENK可明显促进特异性负载Rac-1淋巴瘤抗原的DC2.4的成熟,并增强特异性诱导活化的淋巴细胞对Rac-1淋巴瘤细胞的杀伤活性。     

甲硫氨酸脑啡肽和抗δ阿片受体抗体对小鼠骨髓瘤细胞信号传递系统的作用

为了探讨阿片肽与细胞表面受体结合后所产生的生物效应及其机制 ,用不同浓度甲硫氨酸脑啡肽 ( MENK)及抗 δ阿片受体单克隆抗体处理小鼠的骨髓瘤细胞 ( NS- 1 ) ,然后测定蛋白激酶A( PKA) ,蛋白激酶 C( PKC)活性及三磷酸肌醇 ( IP3 )含量 .研究结果表明 ,NENK可升高细胞胞浆及胞膜 PKA的活性 ,且这一作用可被抗δ阿片受体抗体所拮抗 .MENK对 PKC影响呈双向反应 ,0 .1 μmol/L MENK可以升高胞浆 PKC活性 ,但却明显降低胞膜 PKC活性 ;在 MENK浓度为 1 0μmol/L时则情况刚好相反 .1 μmol/L的 MENK可明显降低胞浆及胞膜 PKC活性 ,抗体可拮抗这种下调作用 .MENK可降低细胞内 IP3 的含量 ,且这一作用可被抗δ阿片受体抗体所拮抗 .由此可以推论 :MENK在与 δ阿片受体结合后 ,可以经过多种信号传导系统来调节细胞功能 ,从而产生不同的生物效应 .     

蛋氨酸脑啡肽质量标准研究

建立了蛋氨酸脑啡肽的质量标准。采用液相色谱-质谱联用仪检测蛋氨酸脑啡肽分子量和鉴别蛋氨酸脑啡肽的各氨基酸组成,反相高效液相色谱测定蛋氨酸脑啡肽含量。蛋氨酸脑啡肽分子量为573.7,氨基酸组成为Tyr-Gly-Gly-Phe-Met。蛋氨酸脑啡肽质量浓度在7~280 mg/L(r=0.999 8)内线性关系良好,平均回收率为98.54%,RSD为0.89%。所建立的方法科学,可靠,重复性好。可准确地对蛋氨酸脑啡肽进行定性定量检测。     

生物活性肽—蛋氨酸脑啡肽免疫调节作用研究进展

蛋氨酸脑啡肽( methionine-enkephaIin,Met-ENK)是具有内源性吗啡样活性物质,它是由5个氨基酸残基组成的多肽,其第5位氨基酸残基为蛋氨酸.目前,对Met-ENK的生物学功能及其作用机制的研究已取得了显著进展.就Met-ENK对免疫细胞调控、抗肿瘤作用等方面做一综述.     

生物活性肽——蛋氨酸脑啡肽治疗白血病一例报告

蛋氨酸脑啡肽是内源性阿片样物质。它是由5个氨基酸残基组成的多肽,其第5位氨基酸残基为蛋氨酸。通过抽取病人静脉血,分离淋巴细胞,进行体外扩增激活,然后回输患者体内,患者外周血白细胞计数为3．6×10^9／L,血红蛋白122g/L,血小板116×10^9／L,异常淋巴细胞消失,幼粒细胞消失。骨髓象示粒细胞系统、红细胞系统增生活跃,各阶段细胞比值及形态大致正常;淋巴细胞比值减低,形态正常;造血功能恢复。由此可见,蛋氨酸脑啡肽体外激活免疫系统并回输体内作为一种新的治疗白血病的方法,具有广泛的应用前景。     

Functional modulation of the pathway between dendritic cells (DCs) and CD4+T cells by the neuropeptide: methionine enkephalin (MENK)

MENK, the endogenous neuropeptide, is suggested to be involved in the regulatory loop between the immune and neuroendocrine systems, with modulation of various functions of cells related to both the innate and adaptive immune systems. Our present research findings show that MENK serves as an immune modulator to the pathway between DCs and CD4+T cells. We studied changes of DCs in key surface molecules, the activity of acid phosphatases (ACPs), the production of IL-12, and the effects on murine CD4+T cell expansion and their cytokine production by MENK alone, and in combination with interkeukin-2 (IL-2) or interferon-γ (IFN-γ). In fact, we found that MENK could markedly induce the maturation of DCs through the addition of surface molecules such as MHC class II, CD86, and CD40 on murine DCs, the production of IL-12, and the down-regulation of ACP inside DCs, (which occurs when phagocytosis of DCs is decreased, and antigen presentation increased with maturation). We also found that MENK alone or in combination with IL-2 or IFN-γ, could markedly up-regulate both CD4+T cell expansion and the CD4 molecule expression in vivo and in vitro and that MENK alone, or MENK + IL-2, could enhance the production of interferon-γ from CD4+T cells. Moreover, MENK alone, or MENK + IFN-γ, could enhance the production of IL-2 from CD4+T cells. It is therefore concluded that MENK can exert positive modulation to the pathway between dendtritic cells and CD4+T cells.     

Modulation of ex vivo cytokine production by splenocytes using in vitro combined therapeutics in murine retroviral model.

Altered levels of Type 1 and Type 2 cytokines are important in retrovirus-induced immunosuppression. The combination of immunostimulatory agents with antiviral drugs alters the course of murine retroviral infections. Previously, it was demonstrated that in vitro treatment of noninfected splenocytes and in vivo treatment of Friend leukemia virus (FLV)-infected mice with the combination of azidothymidine (AZT) and methionine enkephalin (MENK) significantly increases Type 1 cytokine levels and decreases Type 2 cytokines compared with treatment with only AZT. In order to study the effect of the time of initiation of immunomodulation on the course of retroviral infections, we examined the kinetics of cytokine production by isolated splenocytes from infected mice. BALB/c mice were infected with FLV, and spleen cells were removed at specified times postinfection (days 1, 3, 7, 10, and 14). Interleukin (IL)-2, interferon (IFN-gamma, IL-4, and IL-10 production by unstimulated or ConA-stimulated splenocytes treated in vitro with AZT, MENK, or AZT + MENK was determined after 48 h. The capacity of the isolated splenocytes to produce the Type 1 cytokines IL-2 and IFN-gamma in response to stimulation with ConA and combination therapy decreased over the course of infection. These results suggest that MENK treatment initiated later in the course of infection is unable to modulate the cytokine profile and would likely be ineffective in altering the course of FLV induced-disease. The results indicate the necessity to initiate antiretroviral therapy early in infection. Such information may be applicable in designing future regimens for HIV-1 infections in humans.     

Endogenous methionine enkephalin may play an anticonvulsant role in the seizure-susceptible El mouse

After the intracisternal injection of three protease inhibitors which prevent the degradation of methionine enkephalin (amastatin, Des-Pro²-bradykinin, and phosphoramidon) and a mixture of these protease inhibitors, we investigated the effect on convulsive seizures in the seizure-susceptible El mouse. We also measured the cerebral methionine enkephalin content by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with radioimmunoassay. Protease inhibitors significantly decreased both the incidence of seizures and the seizure score in El mice in a dose-dependent manner. This anticonvulsant effect was reversed by naloxone (2 mg/kg, sc). The cerebral methionine enkephalin content increased significantly after the administration of protease inhibitors in comparison with saline injection. These findings suggest that it was not protease inhibitors but instead increase of endogenous methionine enkephalin that reduced the incidence of seizures and the seizure score in El mice. Together with our previous data, the present findings support our hypothesis that a deficit in anticonvulsant endogenous methionine enkephalin is involved in the pathogenesis of seizures in the El mouse.     

Tyr-MIF-1 and Met-enkephalin share a saturable blood-brain barrier transport system

Previous studies have shown that methionine enkephalin and Tyr-MIF-1 are transported from the brain to the blood by a saturable, stereospecific, carrier-mediated process. It was not established by these studies whether Tyr-MIF-1 and methionine enkephalin were transported by the same system or by separate, but overlapping systems. This issue was investigated in anesthetized mice receiving injections containing both 131I-methionine enkephalin and 125I-Tyr-MIF-1 into the lateral ventricle of the brain. Mice were decapitated and the brain to blood transport rate was derived from the residual counts in the brain. It was found that in individual mice, the transport rate for Tyr-MIF-1 correlated highly with the transport rate for methionine enkephalin but not with the transport of iodide. This shows that the transport of Tyr-MIF-1 is closely coupled to the transport of methionine enkephalin but dissociable from the brain to blood transport of iodide. Furthermore, the inability of varying doses of Tyr-MIF-1 or of methionine enkephalin to preferentially self-inhibit is radiolabeled form in comparison with the other peptide shows that, functionally, only a single system exists. Aluminum, a noncompetitive inhibitor of Tyr-MIF-1 transport, was also without preferential inhibition. Thus, under the conditions of these studies, only a single system could be functionally demonstrated for the transport of both Tyr-MIF-1 and methionine enkephalin.     

Induction on differentiation and modulation of bone marrow progenitor of dendritic cell by methionine enkephalin (MENK)

Methionine enkephalin (MENK), the endogenous neuropeptide, is known to exert direct effects on the neuroendocrine and the immune systems and participates in regulation of various functions of cells related to both the innate and adaptive immune systems. Dendritic cells (DCs) play important role in initiating and regulating T cell responses. The aim of this work is to investigate the effects of MENK on differentiation, maturation, and function of DCs derived from murine bone marrow progenitors (BM-derived DCs). Our result showed that MENK could induce BM-derived DCs to polarize predominantly to mDC subtype, rather than pDC both in vivo and in vitro, and this was in favor of Th1 response. BM-derived DCs, after treatment with MENK, up-regulated the expressions of MHC class II and key costimulatory molecules. Result by RT-PCR showed MENK could increase expressions of delta and kappa receptors on BM-derived DCs. Also MENK promoted BM-derived DCs to secret higher levels of proinflammatory cytokines of IL-12p70, TNF-α. Furthermore, differentiated BM-derived DCs treated with MENK displayed higher activity to induce allogeneic T cell proliferation and MENK also inhibited tumor growth in vivo and induced apoptosis of tumor cells in vitro. Thus, it is concluded that MENK could be an effective inducer of BM-derived DCs and might be a new therapeutic agent for cancer, as well as other immune handicapped disease. Also we may consider MENK as a potential adjuvant in vaccine preparation.     

Isolation and structure identification of a morphine-like peptide "enkephalin" in bovine brain.

The ability of bovine brain extracts to compete in a selective fashion for opiate receptor binding is attributable to a small peptide. The substance has been purified to homogeneity and identified as comprising two penta-peptides HTyrGlyGlyPheLeuOH (Leucine-enkephalin) and HTyrGlyGlyPheMetOH (methionine enkephalin). Bovine brain contains 4 times as much leucine-enkephalin as methionine-enkephalin in contrast to pig brain in which these ratios are reversed. Competition for opiate receptor binding by leucine-enkephalin is reduced more by sodium and enhanced more by manganese than is the case for methionine-enkephalin, suggesting that leucine-enkephalin may be a “purer” agonist than methionine-enkephalin.