Evaluation of the effects of new peptide compounds in experimental animals with a toxic model of Alzheimer’s disease

Abstract

Development of new approaches to the treatment of Alzheimersdisease (AD) is an actual problem of modern neurology owingto high prevalence of AD in the population and severe irreversibledisability resulting from this disease. We investigated the effectsof new peptide compounds, -casomorphin-7 and colostrinin,in two complementary AD models in rats (with injectionof -amyloid into the nucleus basalis of Meynert and injectionof streptozocin in the ventricles of the brain). Peptides were injectedintranasally within 10 days after the onset of AD symptomsinduced by neurotoxins. Injection of -casomorphin-7and colostrinin had similar effect on the behavior and cognitivefunction of rats with both amyloid and streptozocin AD model:there was statistically significant increase in locomotor activityand orienting responses, as well as improvement of animalscognitive functions. Colostrinin had stronger positive effect onthe behavior of rats with induced AD, whereas -casomorphin-7had an effect on both sham-operated and model animals, whichis indicative of the general neurotropic potential of this peptide.The proposed experimental approaches improve the capabilitiesof investigation of novel biologically active compounds aimed atprevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Keywords

• alzheimer's disease
• β-amyloid
• streptozocin, neuroprotection, peptides
• β-casomorphin-7
• colostrinin