Effects of peptides on generation of reactive oxygen species in subcellular fractions of Drosophila melanogaster

We studied the effects of Epithalon (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly) and Vilon (Lys-Glu) on free radical processes in highly inbred HA(+)line of Drosophila melanogaster. Vilon inhibited generation of reactive oxygen species in mitochondria, but stimulated this process in the cytosol. We found sex- and age-related differences in the generation of reactive oxygen species and cytosol antioxidant activity.

Effects of pineal peptide preparation Epithalamin on free-radical processes in humans and animals

OBJECTIVES

The review on our own data on the effect of the pineal peptide preparation Epithalamin on free radical processes in rodents and humans is presented in this paper.

RESULTS

The activity of Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) was found decreased in the brain of aged rats (30 months old) by 46.8% as compared to young animals. Concentration of Schiff's bases in the brain also went down with age (by 13.6%), while the level of dien conjugates (DC) and protein peroxidation (PPO) remained unchanged. General antioxidation activity (AOA) in the brain also remained stable with age. The liver of aged rats showed significant increase of Schiff's bases (by 27.1%) and PPO products (by 109.2%) and considerable decrease of SOD activity. The level of DC and general AOA in the liver remained unchanged with age. Considerable elevation of protein and lipid peroxidation products contents was registered in the blood serum of aged rats. At the same time, general AOA and SOD activity remarkably decreased. The results obtained evidence from both significant age-related alterations in the activity of free radical processes in animal organism and organic peculiarities of their dynamics. Application of peptide drug epithalamin suppressed significantly the intensity of peroxide chemoluminescence in the blood serum (2.8-fold) and lipid peroxide oxidation (LPO) expressed in the considerably decreased DC contents (4,1-fold). The contents of Schiff's bases showed only a tendency towards decrease (by 14.4%, p > 0.05) and PPO level remained unchanged. Epithalamin administration was followed by considerable (by 36.6%, p < 0.01) increase of general AOA and increased SOD activity (by 19.7%) in males. Epithalamin decreased significantly the contents of conjugated hydroperoxides and ketodienes in tissues of D.melanogaster females, increased catalase activity in drosophila males and females, and increased SOD activity in males of D.melanogaster by 41%. Humans reveal significant age-related decrease of antioxidation defence indices.

CONCLUSION

Epithalamin administration to patients with age-related pathology eliminates imbalance in prooxidation and antioxidation systems.

Effect of the dipeptide vilon on activity of digestive enzyme in rats of various ages

Peroral administration of Vilon (Lys-Glu) to male and female Wistar rats aging 3 and 11 months changed activity of digestive enzymes (invertase, maltase, alkaline phosphatase, and amino- and dipeptidases) in various portions of the gastrointestinal tract. The increase in enzyme activity was most pronounced in 11-month-old animals, which diminished differences between rats of various ages. Our results indicate that Vilon produces positive effects on digestive enzyme activity during aging.

Inhibitory effect of peptide vilon on the development of induced rat urinary bladder tumors in rats

The effect of peptide vilon (Lys-Glu) on urinary bladder carcinogenesis in rats was studied. Urinary bladder tumors were induced with a selective carcinogen N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine. The tumors developed in 56% vilon-treated animals and in 75.5% controls. Vilon 2-fold decreased the incidence of preneoplastic and early neoplastic changes in urinary bladder mucosa and significantly inhibited carcinogenesis.

[Effect of pineal peptides on neuroendocrine system after pinealectomy]

Removal of the pineal gland leads to structural and functional rearrangement of gastric endocrine cells and thyroid C-cells in albino rats, as was shown by immunohistological methods and morphometry. Injection of pineal peptides epithalone and epithalamine eliminated these changes. Biological activity of epithalone is believed to be higher than that of epithalamine.

[Effectiveness of bio-regulators in the treatment of diabetic retinopathy]

Treatment of diabetic retinopathy remains a most important problem of modern ophthalmology. Bioregulatory therapy has been widely used in recent years as one of promising trends in clinical medicine. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of peptide bioregulators in combined treatment of diabetic retinopathy. A total of 104 patients were administered bioregulatory therapy (retinal preparation retinalamine, epiphysis preparation epithalamine, cerebral cortex preparation cortexine,) and 42 patients were controls. Peptide bioregulators in 90% cases promoted improvement of vision acuity, improved the ophthalmoscopic picture of the fundus oculi (resolution of hemorrhages, plasmorrhages, decreased macular edema) and in all cases improved the functional activity of the retina and retinal bloodflow. No negative changes in the clinical picture were observed after peptide bioregulators in any of the cases. Peptide bioregulators normalized carbohydrate metabolism (sugar level and glycosylated hemoglobin in the blood), phagocytosis, and improved the subjective well-being of patients. Hence, the data indicate a pathogenetic effect of this therapeutic method and its good prospects in ophthalmology.

[Effect of cytomedins on development of organotypic culture of various tissues from the internal organs of rats]

Some natural peptides, referred to as cytomedines, were isolated from different organs: cortexin and epithalamin (both from the brain), cordialin (heart), hepalin (liver) and thymalin (thymus),--to test their stimulating effects on the growth in organotypic culture of different tissue explants taken from 3 day old rats. It has been found that these peptides exerted their obvious stimulating effects on the growth of the cultured explants, compared to the control, if taken in the respective concentrations: 100, 50, 50, 100 and 5 ng/ml. Thus, these cytomedins can be used in the clinical practice for stimulating reparative processes in the appropriate tissues.

[Affinity chromatography of nucleoprotein complexes]

Affinity sorbent containing cellular membranes of the cerebral cortex was obtained by means of an inclusion into porous matrix of polyacrylonitrile. Sorption of model and natural nucleoprotein complexes on the obtained sorbent was studied by the method of affinity chromatography. Distribution coefficients were determined. Natural nucleoprotein complexes isolated from brain possess a greater selectivity of binding to the cellular membranes of the cerebral cortex than that from liver.

Immunohistochemical and morphometric analysis of effects of vilon and epithalon on functional morphology of radiosensitive organs

Studies of the effects of vilon and epithalon on functional morphology of the thymus, spleen, and duodenum in intact rats and rats exposed to single whole-body gamma-irradiation in a dose of 6 Gy showed that vilon stimulated proliferative activity of thymocytes and enhanced proliferative potential of stem cells in the intestine, thus stimulating the postradiation recovery of critical organs. Epithalon decelerated metabolic processes in the duodenal mucosa and suppressed hemopoiesis and lymphopoiesis in the spleen.

Effect of synthetic thymic and pineal peptides on biomarkers of ageing, survival and spontaneous tumour incidence in female CBA mice

Fifty female CBA mice were injected s.c. either with 0.1 ml saline, or with synthetic thymic dipeptide Lys-Glu or with synthetic pineal tetrapeptide Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly both in a single dose of 0.1 microg/animal monthly for five consecutive days from the age of 6 months until natural death. Lys-Glu did not significantly influence the body weight and food consumption, free radical processes and estrus function in mice and did increase their physical activity with the subsequent decrease in spontaneous lung adenomas incidence. The pineal peptide treatment was failed to modify the food consumption and physical strength of mice, and was followed by the increase in the body weight, mean survival (by 5.3%, P<0.05) and maximum (by 10 months), by slow down of the ageing of estrus function, by the decrease in body temperature, physical activity, free radical processes and spontaneous tumor incidence (mainly, lung adenomas) in mice. These data suggest the geroprotector potential of the pineal peptide.

[Effect of pineal peptide on parameters of the biological age and life span in mice]

Female CBA mice were injected with s.c. synthetic tetrapeptide Epithalon from a 6-month age until death. The drug failed to affect the body weight or food consumption, physical activity or behavioural parameters. However, it slowed down the age-related switching off of the estrus function, decreased body temperature, decelerated free redical processes, prolonged the mice life span with an accompanying drop in spontaneous tumour incidence.

Reparative effect of epithalon on pineal gland ultrastructure in gamma-irradiated rats

Electron microscopy of the pineal gland in gamma-irradiated rats treated with epithalon revealed ultrastructural signs attesting to enhancement of its functional activity.

Age-associated accumulation of the apolipoprotein C-III gene T-455C polymorphism C allele in a Russian population

Apolipoprotein C-III (apoC-III) is the major component of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins. One of six identified polymorphisms in the apoC-III 5'-untranslated region (T-455C) is located within a functional insulin-response element. In a group of 137 elderly individuals (70-106 years old), the allele distribution was analyzed using restriction fragment length polymorphisms. Statistical analysis of allele frequencies was performed on subgroups selected by age and in elderly patients with arterial hypertension or ischemic heart disease. A greater frequency of the apoC-III -455C allele was demonstrated with aging (p < .005). No statistically significant difference in allele distributions was detected between healthy subjects and groups of elderly patients of the same age with either ischemic heart disease or arterial hypertension. The increased incidence of the C allele with advanced age indicates that this variant promoter is associated with longevity. The greater incidence of this allele is detectable only in adults older than 80 years of age.

Peptide bioregulators inhibit apoptosis

The effects of peptide bioregulators epithalon and vilon on the dynamics of irradiation-induced apoptotic death of spleen lymphocytes in rats indicate that these agents inhibit physiologically programmed cell death. The antiapoptotic effect of vilon was more pronounced, which corroborates the concept on tissue-specific effect of peptide bioregulators.

Effect of tetrapeptide cortagen on regeneration of sciatic nerve

Intramuscular injection of 10 microg/kg cortagen to rats during 10 days after transsection and suturing of the sciatic nerve increased the growth rate and conduction velocity in the regenerating nerve fibers by 27% and 40%, respectively.

Regulating effect of epithalone on gastric endocrine cells in pinealectomized rats

Endocrine cells in the stomach of pinealectomized rats after injection of epithalone (pineal gland peptide) were studied by immunohistochemical tests, morphometry, and image analysis microscopic images. A functional relationship was found between the pineal gland and stomach, which is regulated by peptides produced by the pineal gland.

Effect of epitalon on the lifespan increase in Drosophila melanogaster

The geroprotector activity of epitalon, a synthetic tetrapeptide Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly, was studied on the Drosophila melanogaster wild strain Canton-S. The substance was added to the culture medium only at the developmental stage (from egg to larva). Epitalon significantly increased the lifespan (LS) of imagoes by 11-16% when applied at unprecedented low concentrations-from 0.001 x 10(-6) to 5 x 10(-6) wt.% of culture medium for males and from 0.01 x 10(-6) to 0.1 x 10(-6) wt.% of culture medium for females. The increase in LS did not depend on the substance dose. Effective concentrations of epitalon were 16,000-80,000,000 times lower than those of melatonin. The possible mechanisms of the antioxidant and regulatory effects of epitalon are discussed.

Effect of epithalone on the age-specific changes in the time course of lipid peroxidation in Drosophila melanogaster

The effect of epithalone on the age-specific time course of lipid peroxidation was studied in inadaptive Drosophila melanogaster strains. A single dose of epithalone at the larval stage decreased the level of conjugated hydroperoxides and Schiff bases throughout the life span of imago. Strain- and sex-specific differences in the time course of the studied sign are characterized.

[The effect of melatonin on the indices of biological age, on longevity and on the development of spontaneous tumors in mice]

Fifty female CBA mice were given melatonin with drinking water (20 mg/l) for 5 consecutive days monthly, beginning from the age of 6 months, until natural death. Another 50 intact mice were used as controls. Melatonin failed to significantly influence body weight or food consumption. Age-related switching-off of estrus function was delayed, body temperature decreased. Somewhat decreased motor activity did not affect physical one or endurance. Increase in life span led to higher spontaneous tumor incidence. Another experiment using 20 animals of the same line showed melatonin to inhibit free-radical processes. A conclusion was drawn that caution should be exercised before melatonin is recommended for long-term administration as a geroprotector.

Effect of peptide Lys-Glu on interleukin-2 gene expression in lymphocytes

Lys-Glu in vitro stimulated interleukin-2 gene expression in mouse spleen lymphocytes. This effect depended on peptide concentration and duration of treatment. It is hypothesized that this peptide is the shortest regulatory fragment promoting the transport of trans-acting factors into the nucleus. It can not be excluded that Lys-Glu is a structural component of trans-acting factor active centers, which are necessary for the activation of interleukin-2 gene transcription in lymphocytes.