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closeBrain beta-endorphin and the specific part of the Y-chromosome
Posted by Chapouthier on 15 Mar 2011 at 11:05 GMT
The specific part of the Y-chromosome (YNPAR) has an important role in brain opioid, especially beta-endorphin regulation. At the same time, in humans, in autistic disorders, prevalent in males, abnormal levels of beta-endorphin have been observed. The importance of a possible relationship of beta-endorphin regulation with autistic disorders does not need to be emphasized. In the present paper, the authors analysed, in two inbred strains of mice and their consomic strains for the YNPAR, the regulation of brain beta-endorphin levels. They found a significant effect of the YNPAR in interaction with the genetic background on brain beta-endorphin levels. Interestingly this effect was not correlated with plasma testosterone, a trait also dependent of the YNPAR. This is a clear demonstration of the influence of YNPAR on brain beta-endorphin concentration (in interaction with the genetic background). Since no gene of the YNPAR directly encodes for beta-endorphin or its precursor, the authors suggest an indirect biochemical action on the regulation of beta-endorphin precursor. This is an important step towards the understanding of beta-endorphin regulation and possibly its relation ship with autistic disorders prevalent in males.