Semax · research summary

Synthetic Adrenocorticotropic Peptides Modulate the Expression Pattern of Immune Genes in Rat Brain following the Early Post-Stroke Period.

Genes · 2023. Summary drawn from the study's full text. Each statement is followed by the exact sentence it comes from. This is a research summary, not medical advice.

Study type

Preclinical animal study using a transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) model in rats to analyze transcriptomic changes via RNA-Seq.
“Here, we used a transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) model in rats to study two synthetic derivatives of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH).”

Subjects

Male Wistar rats.
“White 2-month-old male rats of the Wistar line (weight, 200–250 g) were obtained from AlCondi, Ltd. (Moscow, Russia) as previously described [31].”

Sample size

At least five animals per experimental group for general procedures, with three animals per group included in the RNA-Seq experiments.
“Each experimental group included at least five animals.”

Duration

The study assessed gene expression 4.5 hours after the tMCAO procedure, which is within the therapeutic window.
“The rats were decapitated 4.5 h after the tMCAO/sham operations.”

Reported findings

RNA-Seq analysis identified 131 differentially expressed genes related to Semax and 322 related to ACTH(6-9)PGP in the dorsolateral frontal cortex 4.5 hours after tMCAO.
“Using RNA-Seq analysis, we revealed 131 and 322 differentially expressed genes in the dorsolateral areas of the frontal cortex of rats related to Semax and ACTH(6-9)PGP peptide 4.5 h after tMCAO, respectively.”
Both Semax and ACTH(6-9)PGP partially prevented changes in immune- and neurosignaling-related gene expression profiles disturbed by ischemia.
“Furthermore, we showed that both Semax and ACTH(6-9)PGP can partially prevent changes in the immune- and neurosignaling-related gene expression profiles disturbed by the action of ischemia at 4.5 h after tMCAO.”
The two peptides exhibited different actions regarding predominantly immune-related genes, with Semax inducing a number of immune genes unlike ACTH(6-9)PGP.
“However, Semax induced a number of immune genes and therefore formed a spectrum of effects on the genomic activity that were unlike those of ACTH(6-9)PGP.”

Limitations stated by the authors

The correlation between transcriptome and proteome profiles is non-linear, meaning local methods for analyzing individual proteins may not be very informative.
“However, the correlation between transcriptome and proteome profiles is non-linear [77,78,79,80].”

Source: PubMed 37510287 · DOI 10.3390/genes14071382 · all study summaries

Study type

Preclinical animal study using a transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) model in rats to analyze transcriptomic changes via RNA-Seq.

“Here, we used a transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) model in rats to study two synthetic derivatives of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH).”

Reported findings

RNA-Seq analysis identified 131 differentially expressed genes related to Semax and 322 related to ACTH(6-9)PGP in the dorsolateral frontal cortex 4.5 hours after tMCAO.

“Using RNA-Seq analysis, we revealed 131 and 322 differentially expressed genes in the dorsolateral areas of the frontal cortex of rats related to Semax and ACTH(6-9)PGP peptide 4.5 h after tMCAO, respectively.”

Both Semax and ACTH(6-9)PGP partially prevented changes in immune- and neurosignaling-related gene expression profiles disturbed by ischemia.

“Furthermore, we showed that both Semax and ACTH(6-9)PGP can partially prevent changes in the immune- and neurosignaling-related gene expression profiles disturbed by the action of ischemia at 4.5 h after tMCAO.”

The two peptides exhibited different actions regarding predominantly immune-related genes, with Semax inducing a number of immune genes unlike ACTH(6-9)PGP.

“However, Semax induced a number of immune genes and therefore formed a spectrum of effects on the genomic activity that were unlike those of ACTH(6-9)PGP.”