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Updated: Jun 16, 2026

Intravenous Endotoxin Challenge in Healthy Humans: An Experimental Platform to Investigate and Modulate Systemic Inflammation
Published on: May 16, 2016
[Beta-endorphin as the endogenous regulator of immune processes]
Abstract:
Endogenous opioid peptides represent the group of bioregulatory factors possessing a wide range of biologically active effects. One of most essential functions of endogenous opioids appears to be the realization of cellular interaction between nervous and immune systems. Beta-endorphin is a peptide hormone that is the most active and multi-functional representative of the opioid peptide family. This review summarizes current observations on the nature ofbeta-endorphin, its production by the immune system cells, opiate receptor structure and expression, as well as the peptide effect on the processes of cellular activation, proliferation, and differentiation in innate and adaptive immunity.
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