Neuroprotective Potential of Peptides HFRWPGP (ACTHPGP), KKRRPGP, and PyrRP in Cultured Cortical Neurons at Glutamate Excitotoxicity.

Glutamate (Glu) excitotoxicity, which accompanies brain ischemia or traumatic brain injury, is the leading mechanism of neuronal death. In the present work, we studied the effects of the peptides HFRWPGP (ACTHPGP), KKRRPG, and PyrRP on the survival of cultured cortical neurons on the background of excitotoxic effect of Glu (100 µM). Biochemical (MTT/WST) and morphometric analyzes showed that, depending on the dose, ACTHPGP and KKRRPGP protect neurons from the cells death, while PyrRP, conversely, enhances it. The neuroprotective effect of ACTHPGP is accompanied by a slowdown in the development of delayed calcium dysregulation and synchronous mitochondrial depolarization. Among the studied peptides, only ACTHPGP significantly increased the number of neurons that restored Ca homeostasis after Glu was abolished. The influence of KKRRPGP was less pronounced, whereas PyrRP, on the contrary, reduced the number of neurons with low [Ca]. Thus, this study revealed the high therapeutic significance of ACTHPGP and allowed assessing the prospects for its possible clinical use.