title: [Nle4,D-Phe7]alpha-MSH improves functional recovery in rats subjected to diencephalic hemisection.
abstract: Rats subjected to diencephalic hemisection were s.c. treated with alpha-MSH (20 micrograms/rat daily) or with [Nle4,D-Phe7]alpha-MSH (10 micrograms/rat every other day) for two weeks starting on day 3 after lesion. Apomorphine-induced (1 mg/kg s.c.) rotational behavior was studied on days 7, 14 and 21 after lesion, and a sensorimotor test battery was carried out on days 3, 10, 17 and 24 after lesion. [Nle4,D-Phe7]alpha-MSH greatly reduced rotational behavior and significantly improved sensorimotor performance. Histological studies showed that treatment with alpha-MSH and, even more markedly, with [Nle4,D-Phe7]alpha-MSH reduced the size of the lesion and the pseudoinflammatory reaction, and caused a marked proliferation and hypertrophy of astroglia. Binding studies showed that no supersensitivity of striatal dopamine receptors developed on the lesioned side of alpha-MSH- and [Nle4,D-Phe7]alpha-MSH-treated rats. The present results seem to further support the trophic role of MSH peptides on nerve tissue.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmacology, University of Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Benelli
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zanoli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Botticelli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bertolini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004027:Diencephalon / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000187:drug effects; D011485:Protein Binding; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012399:Rotation; D000521:alpha-MSH / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000521:alpha-MSH; C027756:MSH, 4-Nle-7-Phe-alpha-