Opiate receptors seem to play a role in the maintenance of glucose homeostasis. Both B-endorphin (B-EP) and opiate antagonist drugs may modulate the endocrine pancreas secretions. Considering the changes of circulating B-EP through puberty, we studied B-EP plasma levels in IDDM patients. Since IDDM children are characterized by LH/FSH aspecific rises after TRH injection, we also evaluated the B-EP pattern after TRH and LHRH administration. In 46 IDDM patients (7-18 years),under insulin treatment, blood sample was collected in basal condition and in 16 of them TRH (200 mcg, i.v.) and LHRH (50 mcg, i.v.) tests were performed. B-EP levels were measured after silicic acid extraction and Sephadex G-75 column cromatography, by RIA utilizing material provided by C.H. Li (San Francisco). Basal B-EP levels in IDDM children were similar to age-matched controls; no correlation was found with the duration and the metabolic control of the disease. LHRH stimulated B-EP release between 60′ and 120′ (p p < 0.01) in the 45% of the patients (from 5.5±1.2 to 13.5±1.4). No B-EP changes was observed in healthy controls under similar experimental conditions. These data suggest: 1)IDDM does not seem to influence plasma B-EP levels, at least in well controlled subjects; 2) the aspecific pituitary responses to hypothalamic releasing-hormones previously described in IDDM patients, involve also B-EP release.
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