1. Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology, Moscow, Russia; Moscow Research and Clinical Center for Neuropsychiatry, Moscow, Russia 2. Research Center of Neurology, Moscow, Russia 3. Moscow Research and Clinical Center for Neuropsychiatry, Moscow, Russia 4. Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology, Moscow, Russia; Moscow Research and Clinical Center for Neuropsychiatry, Moscow, Russia; Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russia
Cortexin, a drug containing hydrolyzed brain peptides, has long been used in clinics, but the mechanisms of its action remain obscure. We have hypothesized that cortexin-related neuroprotection is associated with the ability of the drug to inhibit brain proteases. Cortexin effectively inhibited brain caspase-8, while its effects on caspase-1, -3, -9, cathepsin B and calpain were much less pronounced or absent. In addition, we isolated a peptide fraction from cortexin holding all the inhibitory capacity of the original drug, but with a much more simple composition. Both cortexin and its fraction prevented neuronal damage in a culture model of glutamate-induced cell death. Neuroprotective effect of Cortexin may be mediated by inhibition of the initiator caspase-8 in the brain.
Yakovlev A.A. et al. Peptide drug cortexin inhibits brain caspase-8 // Biomeditsinskaya Khimiya. - 2017. - V. 63. -N 1. - P. 27-31.
Yakovlev A.A. et al., "Peptide drug cortexin inhibits brain caspase-8." Biomeditsinskaya Khimiya 63.1 (2017): 27-31.
Yakovlev, A. A., Lyzhin, A. A., Khaspekov, L. G., Guekht, A. B., Gulyaeva, N. V. (2017). Peptide drug cortexin inhibits brain caspase-8. Biomeditsinskaya Khimiya, 63(1), 27-31.