title: Systemic treatment of cerebral cortex lesions in rats with a new secreted phospholipase A2 inhibitor.
abstract: An internal fragment of the human neuroprotective polypeptide DSEP (Diffusible Survival Evasion Peptide) was delivered at 0.4 mg/kg (subcutaneously) 20-30 min after stab wound lesions in the parietal cortex of anesthetized rats. The peptide, CHEASAAQC or CHEC-9, inhibited the inflammatory response to the lesion and the degeneration of neurons adjacent to the wound. Four days after surgery, peptide-treated animals (n = 6) had 75% fewer reactive ameboid microglia/brain macrophages in the cortical parenchyma surrounding the lesion compared to vehicle-injected control rats (n = 6, p = 0.004). The cortical laminae in area 2 adjacent to the lesion were completely obscured in controls because of the increase in inflammatory cells and frank degeneration of neurons, while there was preservation of the neurons and cytoarchitecture after peptide treatment. In parallel experiments, CHEC-9 was found to inhibit the enzymatic activity of secreted phospholipase A2 (sPLA2), including activity present in the serum of peptide-injected rats. Kinetic analysis revealed the peptide increased the average Km for serum by 318% when tested 45 min after treatment (peptide-treated, n = 6; control-treated, n = 6; p = 0.0087), suggesting the principal effect of the peptide was to lower the affinity of serum sPLA2 for substrate. The sPLA2 inhibition by this particular peptide sequence appeared to be highly specific since inversion of a single pair of amino acids eliminated the inhibitory effect. Phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate stimulated platelet aggregation, a PLA2-regulated activity, was also inhibited by the peptide. The discovery of CHEC-9 makes it possible to study in vivo the long appreciated contribution made by PLA2-directed inflammation to both acute and chronic neurodegeneration and may be helpful in designing therapies to limit neuron death in these conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19129, USA. timothy.j.cunningham@drexel.edu
authors.forename: Timothy J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.forename: Nizar
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Souayah
authors.forename: Bradford
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jameson
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: Lihua
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yao
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000293:injuries*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D054501:Group II Phospholipases A2; D020197:Head Injuries, Penetrating / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010455:Peptides; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010741:Phospholipases A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000097:blood; D054467:Phospholipases A2; D010974:Platelet Aggregation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: C000604210:CHEC-9 peptide; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D010455:Peptides; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic; C442243:dermcidin; D010741:Phospholipases A; D054501:Group II Phospholipases A2; D054467:Phospholipases A2