Behavioral effects evoked by the beta globin-derived nonapeptide lvv-h6

Publication date: Available online 16 March 2019Source: PeptidesAuthor(s): Kellen Rosa da Cruz, Danielle Ianzer, Larissa Córdova Turones, Lilian Liz Reis, Gabriel Camargo-Silva, Michelle Mendanha Mendonça, Elder Sales da Silva, Gustavo Rodrigues Pedrino, Carlos Henrique de Castro, Elson Alves Costa, Carlos H XavierAbstractLVV-hemorphin-6 (LVV-h6) is bioactive peptide and is a product of the degradation of hemoglobin. Since LVV-h6 effects are possibly mediated by opioid or AT4/IRAP receptors, we hypothesized that LVV-h6 would modify behavior. We evaluated whether LVV-h6 affects: i) anxiety-like behavior and locomotion; ii) depression-like behavior; iii) cardiovascular and neuroendocrine reactivity to emotional stress. Male Wistar rats ( ± 300 g) received LVV-h6 (153 nmol/kg i.p.) or vehicle (NaCl 0.9% i.p.). We used: i) open field (OF) test for locomotion; ii) elevated plus maze (EPM) for anxiety-like behavior; iii) forced swimming test (FST) for depression-like behavior and iv) air jet for cardiovascular and neuroendocrine reactivity to stress. Diazepam (2 mg/kg i.p.) and imipramine (15 mg/kg i.p.) were used as positive control for EPM and FST, respectively. To evaluate the LVV-h6 mechanisms, we used: the antagonist of oxytocin (OT) receptors (atosiban – ATS 1 and 0.1 mg/kg i.p.); the inhibitor of tyrosine hydroxylase (Alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine – AMPT 200 mg/kg i.p.) to investigate the involvement of catecholaminergic paths; and the antagonist of opioid r...
Source: Peptides - Category: Biochemistry Source Type: research