title: Angiotensin II-(3-8)-hexapeptide affects motor activity, performance of passive avoidance and a conditioned avoidance response in rats.
abstract: Angiotensin II-(3-8)-hexapeptide, at the dose of 1 nmol given intracerebroventricularly, only slightly less than angiotensin II (the same dose and route) stimulated exploratory locomotor behaviour in an open field and electromagnetic motimeter. Both peptides considerably enhanced stereotyped behaviour produced by apomorphine and amphetamine. Angiotensin II-(3-8)-hexapeptide improved recall in a passive avoidance situation as well as angiotensin II. The 3-8 C-terminus of angiotensin II enhanced acquisition of active avoidance nearly as effectively as the complete peptide. The results indicate that the effectiveness of equimolar doses of angiotensin II-(3-8)-hexapeptide and angiotensin II in improving processes related to learning and memory in rats is almost identical and thus must be independent of specific angiotensin receptors in brain to which the hexapeptide binds with about 1000 times lower affinity than angiotensin II. The stimulation of stereotypy, a dopamine-controlled behaviour, by the peptides points to the possibility of dopaminergic mediation of their psychotropic effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Medical Academy, Białystok, Poland.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Braszko
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kupryszewski
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Witczuk
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wiśniewski
mesh_terms: D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D000805:Angiotensin III / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001058:Apomorphine / Q000494:pharmacology; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D003214:Conditioning, Classical / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013239:Stereotyped Behavior / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000804:Angiotensin II; C022929:angiotensin II, 1-des-Asn-2-Arg; D000805:Angiotensin III; D001058:Apomorphine