Injections of the neuroprotective peptide NAP to newborn mice attenuate head-injury-related dysfunction in adults.
The prophylactic neuroprotective effects of NAP, a femtomolar-acting neuroprotective peptide were tested in a mouse model of head trauma. NAP was injected for the first 3 weeks of life and head injury was initiated at 4 months. After trauma, mice were tested for their performance by evaluating damaged motor ability, balance and alertness. Comparison of the performance 1 h and 1 week after injury indicated that NAP treatment resulted in faster and enhanced recovery. In a 5-day Morris water maze test with mice suffering moderate to severe injuries, only the NAP-treated group learned to find the hidden platform in the maze. Furthermore, NAP treatment resulted in decreased mRNA expression of the inflammation marker, Mac-1. Thus, a potentially new prophylactic treatment against neurodegeneration is suggested.
Zaltzman
Roy
R
Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Sackler Medical School, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Beni
Sara M
SM
Giladi
Eliezer
E
Pinhasov
Albert
A
Steingart
Ruth A
RA
Romano
Jacob
J
Shohami
Esther
E
Gozes
Illana
I
D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000502:physiology*; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control; D051379:Mice; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020127:Recovery of Function; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology
D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D009842:Oligopeptides; C425904:davunetide