Semax, an analog of ACTH(4-10) with cognitive effects, regulates BDNF and trkB expression in the rat hippocampus.

Oleg V Dolotov, Ekaterina A Karpenko, Lyudmila S Inozemtseva, Tamara S Seredenina, Natalia G Levitskaya, Joanna Rozyczka, Elena V Dubynina, Ekaterina V Novosadova, Lyudmila A Andreeva, Lyudmila Yu Alfeeva, Andrey A Kamensky, Igor A Grivennikov, Nikolay F Myasoedov, Jürgen Engele

Index: Brain Res. 1117(1) , 54-60, (2006)

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Abstract

The heptapeptide Semax (Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro) is an analog of the adrenocorticotropin fragment (4-10) which after intranasal application has profound effects on learning and exerts marked neuroprotective activities. Here, we found that a single application of Semax (50 microg/kg body weight) results in a maximal 1.4-fold increase of BDNF protein levels accompanying with 1.6-fold increase of trkB tyrosine phosporylation levels, and a 3-fold and a 2-fold increase of exon III BDNF and trkB mRNA levels, respectively, in the rat hippocampus. Semax-treated animals showed a distinct increase in the number of conditioned avoidance reactions. We suggest that Semax affects cognitive brain functions by modulating the expression and the activation of the hippocampal BDNF/trkB system.