Neuroprotective effect of DAHK peptide in an occlusive model of permanent focal ischemia in rats.
This study examined the neuroprotective ability of tetrapeptide L-Asp-Ala-His-Lys (DAHK) in permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats. One DAHK dose (16 mg/kg) or saline solution were i.v. administered 30 min after occlusion and neurological deficit was evaluated at 2, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h using Longa scoring scale. The striatum infarction area was evaluated until 96 h after occlusion in both groups after staining with hematoxylin-eosin. DAHK-treated group showed a significant (P < 0.05) protection of 70% of neurological deficit at 96 h after occlusion, in comparison with the control-group that showed permanent neurological deficit. The DAHK-treated group showed a significant (P < 0.05) reduction of 52% infarction area in the striatum, as compared to control values. Results presented here support the possible therapeutic application of DAHK as a neuroprotective agent in human patients with stroke, as the peptide is part of human serum albumin, already being tested in clinical trials.
Departamento de Neuroquímica, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, Manuel Velasco Suárez, Av Insurgentes Sur No 3877, CP 14269 Mexico City, DF, Mexico.
Araceli
A
Díaz-Ruíz
Camilo
C
Ríos
Joselyn
J
Carvajal-Sotelo
Alma
A
Ortiz-Plata
Gerardo Pavel
GP
Espino-Solis
Marisela
M
Méndez-Armenta
Sergio
S
Montes
Antonio
A
Monroy-Noyola
D000818:Animals; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D020244:Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020521:Stroke / Q000188:drug therapy
D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D009842:Oligopeptides; C431583:aspartyl-alanyl-histidyl-lysine