Chalisova N I, Pennijajnen V P, Baskova I P, Zavalova L L, Bazanova A V
I. P. Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 6 Makarov Bank, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia.
Neurosci Behav Physiol. 2003 May;33(4):411-4. doi: 10.1023/a:1022812027315.
The effects of components of the salivary gland secretion (proteases and protease inhibitors) of the medicinal leech (Hirudo medicinalis) on the growth of neurites of sensory neurons from chick embryos (10-11 days old) were studied in organotypic cultures. Destabilase and high-molecular-weight bdellin B, (0.01, 0.02, 0.05, and 0.1 ng/ml), bdellastasin (0.02 and 0.05 ng/ml), and eglin C (0.1 ng/ml) had neurite-stimulating effects on day 3 of cultivation of spinal ganglia. Identification of the neurite-stimulating activity of these components of medicinal leech salivary gland secretions creates the basis for creating new therapeutic agents for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
