Neuroprotective effect of a new peptide isolated from social wasp venom against neurodegeneration induced in the murine model of Parkinsons disease

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Marcia Renata Mortari, Henrique Amaral and Andreia Biolchi Mayer

University of Brasília, Brazil

: J Pharm Drug Deliv

Abstract

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Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease related to movement, and affects 1% of the population over 60 years old. Chronic use of dopamine precursors causes strong side-effects, and the drugs used in the treatment does not modify disease progression. Therefore, it is necessary the development of more effective antiparkinsonian drugs. Wasp venoms are composed by a cocktail of bioactive molecules, with a high selectivity to CNS. Then, the objective was to isolate a new peptide of the wasp venom with neuroprotective activity in a model of PD. Fractionation was performed by HPLC and the peptide identified by mass spectrometry. Study procedures were approved by CEUA-UnB. The peptide fraction was injected one hour after lesion and during the next two days. One week after injury, the animals were tested and the rotatory behavior was observed after apomorphine, and the number of the viable neurons were counted. Treated group showed a decrease on the number of rotations in relation to the damaged group (p<0.001). Moreover, the peptide decreased the degeneration in the SN. This study revealed a promising peptide of the wasp venom that was able to prevent the progression of the neuronal loss in a model of PD.

Biography

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Email: mmortari@unb.br