ACTH/MSH(4-10) peptide increases postnatal metabolic activity of EDL muscle following early prenatal administration.

ACTH/MSH(4-10) (10 micrograms/kg/b.i.d.; IP), administered to pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats during gestational days (GD) 3 to 12, significantly increased the metabolic activity of extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle at postnatal day 14. ACTH/MSH peptide, administered from day of birth to postnatal day 13, had no effect on EDL muscle metabolic activity using the 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride indicator. By postnatal day 30, no differences were seen between the early prenatally treated group and saline controls. These results confirm our previous electrophysiological studies that showed that early prenatal ACTH/MSH(4-10) administration accelerates EDL muscle maturation.