title: The neurite-stimulating influence of components of medicinal leech salivary gland secretions in organotypic culture of spinal ganglia.
abstract: The effects of components from medicinal leech (Hirudo medicinalis) salivary gland secretions and the therapeutic agent Piyavit on the growth of chick embryo neurites in organotypic culture were studied. Native destabilase and bdellin A at concentrations of 0.01, 0.02, 0.05, and 0.1 ng/ml, bdellin B at a concentration of 0.05 ng/ml, and eglin at a concentration of 0.1 ng/ml had neurite-stimulating activity, evident on the third day of organotypic culture of spinal ganglia. The stimulatory activity of destabilase was lost after revere-phase chromatography. The neurite-stimulating activity of the extract of the therapeutic agent Piyavit (200 ng/ml) in organotypic ganglion culture appeared to result from the neurite-stimulating salivary gland components within this agent, suggesting that Piyavit could be used for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Excitable Membrane Physiology, I. P. Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 6 Makarov Bank, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia.
authors.forename: N I
authors.initials: NI
authors.lastname: Chalisova
authors.forename: I P
authors.initials: IP
authors.lastname: Baskova
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Zavalova
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Pennijainen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001685:Biological Factors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002642:Chick Embryo; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D010450:Endopeptidases / Q000494:pharmacology; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000502:physiology; D007865:Leeches; D016501:Neurites / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000145:classification / Q000494:pharmacology; D011506:Proteins; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D015843:Serpins / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D001685:Biological Factors; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D011506:Proteins; D015843:Serpins; C028656:eglin proteinase inhibitors; C094838:piyavit; C107927:bdellin; D010450:Endopeptidases; C045348:fibrin destabilase