title: Antidepressant-like effects of urocortin 3 fragments.
abstract: Urocortin 3 (Ucn 3) and various Ucn 3 fragments were tested with regard to antidepressive action in a modified forced swimming test following icv administration to mice. The fragment Ucn 3 (34-36) proved ineffective, whereas Ucn 3 (18-38), Ucn 3 (19-27), Ucn 3 (28-38), Ucn 3 (34-38), and Ucn 3 (36-38) demonstrated antidepressive-like action by shortening the immobility time and increasing the climbing and swimming times. The shortest molecule which elicited most of the antidepressive effects was the tripeptide Ucn 3 (36-38), H-Ala-Gln-Ile-NH(2). The results indicate that the total sequence of Ucn 3 is not necessary for the antidepressive action of Ucn 3. Furthermore, the antidepressant actions of Unc3 (19-27) and Ucn 3 (36-38) can be blocked by the CRF2 receptor antagonist Astressin 2β. Establishment of the smallest active sequence of the molecule may allow the synthesis of analogs or mimetics for antidepressive drugs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, Semmelweis 1, Szeged, Hungary.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kádár
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tóth
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Telegdy
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013550:Swimming; D054832:Urocortins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D054832:Urocortins