The effects of a short peptide on neurodegenerative processes in rats that are subjected to prenatal hypoxia

• Published in: Neurochemical journal Vol. 6; no. 3; pp. 218 - 222
• Main Authors: Mendzheritskii, A. M., Karantysh, G. V., Abramchuk, V. A., Ryzhak, G. A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht SP MAIK Nauka/Interperiodica 01-07-2012
• Subjects: Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Experimental Articles; Neurosciences; prenatal hypoxia; the behavior of 21-day-old rats; caspase-3 activity
• ISSN: 1819-7124; 1819-7132
• DOI: 10.1134/S1819712412030105

We studied the effects of the tripeptide pinealon (Lys-Glu-Arg) on behavior and caspase-3 activity in the brain of 21-day-old rats that were subjected to prenatal hypoxia. We found that administration of pinealon to females during the entire course of pregnancy increased the survival of newborn rat rats that were subjected to prenatal hypoxia. In these rats, at the age of 21 days the activity of caspase-3 in brain structures was significantly lower as compared to rats that were not treated with pinealon during the pregnancy period. This was probably a cause of the less expressed cognitive deficit in these rats. Hypoxic hypoxia during the prefetal or fetal periods had worse effects on cognitive functions and rat survival.