Efeito anticonvulsivante e antioxidante do peptídeo sintético LS9 sobre modelo de convulsão induzido por pentilenotetrazol em camundongos

Abstract

Natural compounds have been used as sources of new molecules acting in the central nervous system. Recently our research group observed the anticonvulsant action of ant venom Dinoponera quadriceps in model of seizure induced by pentylenetetrazole (PTZ). In order to find out which molecules present in the venom are responsible for the mentioned effect, the peptide Dq-Fa, a natural component found in the venom of the Dinoponera quadriceps ant, was synthesized, titled LS9, and used in the present study in a model of convulsion induced by PTZ and on astrocyte culture in vitro. Male Swiss mice (28-33g) were pretreated with LS9 (0.1, 0.2 or 0.4 mg / kg, i.p., n = 6-8). Half an hour after pretreatment, seizure was induced in all animals by administration of PTZ (80 mg / kg). In the behavioral analysis, the times for the occurrence of the first seizure and time of death were recorded. To determine the parameters of oxidative stress, three cerebral areas (prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and striatum) were used and malondialdehyde (MDA), nitrite content and reduced glutathione levels (GSH) were measured. In the in vitro assay, the cell viability of cortical astrocytes was determined after treatment with different concentrations of LS9 or LS9 + PTZ for 24 hours by the MTT method (3- (4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazole bromide) -2, 5-diphenyl-2-H). The data were analyzed by ANOVA and Student-Newman-Keuls as a post-test, for the in vivo tests, and ANOVA followed by the Bonferroni post-test, for the in vitro experiments. The behavioral results found showed that all the analyzed concentrations of the peptide were able to increase the latency for the first seizure, with a concentration of 0.2 mg / kg significantly increased the latency period of death. There was a decrease in MDA levels in the prefrontal cortex (0.1 and 0.2 mg / kg concentrations), hippocampus (0.1 mg / kg concentration) and striatum (in all concentrations analyzed). All concentrations tested were able to significantly decrease the formation of nitrite in the prefrontal cortex. In the hippocampus and striatum the effect was similar, but not at all concentrations. At concentrations of 0.2 mg / kg, there was an increase in GSH levels in the prefrontal cortex, concentrations of 0.1 and 0.2 mg / kg promoted an increase in the striatum and there was no change in the hippocampus. In the in vitro assay, the results show that this peptide was not able to decrease the viability of cortical astrocytes and did not promote alteration of cell viability when associated with PTZ. Our findings show that the synthetic peptide LS9 promoted anticonvulsant effect, decreased production of lipid peroxidation and nitrite and increased GSH. In addition, it was not able to alter cell viability in cortical astrocyte culture in vitro, demonstrating no toxic effect in this cell line.