Behavioural activity of angiotensin II (3-7)4Phe--analogue of natural fragment 3-7 of angiotensin II.

A study was made of the influence of pentapeptide 3-7 angiotensin II [AII(3-7)], its analogue 3-7(4)Phe [AII(3-7)4Phe] and angiotensin II (AII) on the behaviour of adult male rats. The motility, stereotypy, spatial performance, learning of conditioned and passive avoidance responses allowing to avoid aversive stimulation were estimated. Examined peptides at the dose 1 nmol injected intracerebroventricularly 15 min before the experiment did not produce specific changes in psychomotor activity in the "open field" test and in retention of the spatial task in the Morris water maze. The rate of acquisition of conditioned avoidance responses was stimulated by AII(3-7)4Phe, AII(3-7) and AII administration. In the passive avoidance situation AII improved retention of the responses whereas analogue AII(3-7)4Phe and fragment 3-7 caused similar though less pronounced effect. All the peptides applied immediately before the experiment intensified stereotypy, a behaviour evoked by of apomorphine-1 mg/kg and amphetamine-7.5 mg/kg intraperitonealy injection. These results show similar psychotropic activity of analogue AII(3-7)4Phe, comparable with the activity of natural fragment 3-7 of angiotensin II.