[The effect of antibodies to the serotonin-modulating protein SMP-69 on passive avoidance behavior in rats].

Previously we purified from rat brain the novel protein SMP-69 modulated by serotonin. Intracerebral injections of the antibodies to this protein produced an increase in exploratory activity of rats in the open-field test. In the present work we studied the influence of intracerebral injections of SMP-69 protein polyclonal antibodies on passive avoidance behavior of rats. Injections of antibodies 24 h prior to learning led to an increase in rats' stay in the dark compartment and decrease in time spent in the illuminated compartment in comparison to the control animals (injected with rabbit non-immune serum) during retest sessions conducted 48 h after learning. No significant difference was observed between the control and experimental rats in the retest sessions conducted 24 h after learning. Injections of antibodies 48 h after learning did not change the behavior of the experimental rats in retest sessions, conducted 24 h after the injections. The results suggest that the antibodies to SMP-69 affect the memory consolidation but do not influence the storage and retrieval.