A 13-Mer peptide of a brain injury-derived protein supports neuronal survival and rescues neurons from injury caused by glutamate.
Neuronal survival is mediated by several kinds of proteins. Among these, neurotrophic factors play important roles in the nervous system by supporting neuronal activity and survival. It has been suggested recently that certain factors promote neuronal survival in the case of brain injury. To examine this possibility, we purified a novel neurotrophic factor from Gelfoam that was implanted at the site of injury caused in neonatal rats. During amino acid sequence analysis, we found that a fragmental peptide of this neurotrophic protein consisting of 13 amino acids showed neurotrophic activity. This 13-mer peptide promoted survival of septal cholinergic and mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons in culture and rescued hippocampal neurons from injury caused by glutamate in culture. This peptide rescued neurons from cell death caused by glutamate, even when added 4.5 h after glutamate exposure.
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000378:metabolism*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000633:toxicity*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D018698:Glutamic Acid