Antidepressant-like effects of a novel pentapeptide, nemifitide, in an animal model of depression.
BACKGROUND
Nemifitide is a novel peptide analog of melanocyte-inhibiting factor (MIF) that has been reported to relieve depressive symptoms in a very short period.


OBJECTIVE
The Flinders Sensitive Line (FSL) rat, a genetic animal model of depression with innate exaggerated immobility in the forced swim test, was used to obtain more detailed information about the antidepressant-like effects of nemifitide.


METHODS
The FSL rats were treated chronically with various doses of nemifitide or reference antidepressants desipramine and fluoxetine for 5 or 14 days and the forced swim test was conducted 22-24 h after the last treatment.


RESULTS
Nemifitide significantly increased swimming in the FSL rats at both low (0.025-0.3 mg/kg) and high (3.0-15.0 mg/kg) doses but not at intermediate (0.4-2.4 mg/kg) doses. Nemifitide (0.3 mg/kg) and desipramine (5.0 mg/ kg) significantly increased swimming in the FSL rats after just 5 days of treatment, but fluoxetine (5.0 mg/kg) did not. Nemifitide (0.3 mg/kg) and fluoxetine (5.0 mg/kg) had long-lasting effects, but desipramine (5.0 mg/kg) did not.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings support the value of developing nemifitide and its analogs as potential antidepressants.
Overstreet
David H
DH
Department of Psychiatry, Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7178, USA. dhover@med.unc.edu
Hlavka
Joseph
J
Feighner
John P
JP
Nicolau
Gabriela
G
Freed
Jeffrey S
JS
D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D003891:Desipramine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D013045:Species Specificity
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D009842:Oligopeptides; D005473:Fluoxetine; C406668:nemifitide ditriflutate; D003891:Desipramine