ALPHA MELANOCYTE STIMULATING HORMONE (alpha-MSH) DOES NOT MODIFY PENTYLENETETRAZOLE- AND PILOCARPINE-INDUCED SEIZURES

ROSSATTO TEMP FERNANDA; CARRÉ SANTOS ALINE; RIGHES MARAFIGA JOSEANE; JESSE ANA CLAUDIA; FERNANDES LENZ QUÉLI; MARQUESAN OLIVEIRA SARA; PETRI GUERRA GUSTAVO; SCIMONELLI T; MELLO CARLOS FERNANDO

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2013 vol. 93 p. 723 - 723

ims: Alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (a-MSH) is a pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC)-derived peptide involved in different neurological functions that also exerts anti-inflammatory effects, including in the central nervous system (CNS). Although inflammation has been implicated in seizures and epilepsy, no study has systematically investigated whether a-MSH modifies seizures. Therefore, in the current study we determined whether a-MSH alters pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)- and pilocarpine-induced seizures. Main methods: Adult male Swiss mice were injected with a-MSH (1.66, 5 or 15 μg/3 μL, intracerebroventricular(i.c.v.)) or systemic (0.1, 0.3 or 1 mg/kg, intraperitoneally (i.p.)). Five to sixty minutes after the injection of the peptide, animals were injected with PTZ (60 mg/kg, i.p.) or pilocarpine (370 mg/kg, i.p.). Latency to myoclonic jerks and tonic?clonic seizures, number of seizure episodes, total time spent seizing and seizure intensity, assessed by the Racine and Meur