The neurite-stimulating effect of peptides from brain in dorsal root ganglion neuron organotypic culture

Abstract

The effect of natural brain peptides (cortexin and epithalamin) as well as synthetic tetrapeptides (brain peptide and epiphysis peptide) were investigated in organotypic cultures of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons and explants of brain tissue from 10-11 day old chick embryos. Cortexin (2-100 ng/ml), epithalamin (200 ng/ml), brain peptide (2 ng/ml) and epiphysis peptide (20 ng/ml) showed a neurite-stimulating effect in DRG cultures as compared to the control explants. Cortexin at 100 ng/ml and brain peptide at 20 ng/ml showed a stimulating effect in cortical cultures, and epithalamin at 200 ng/ml and epiphysis peptide at 100 ng/ml showed a stimulating effect in cultures of subcortical structures as compared to the control explants.