[Effects of epithalon and cortagene on immunity and hemostasis in neonatally hypophysectomized chicken and old birds].

Advances in gerontology = Uspekhi gerontologii2008PMID: 19432169

Plain Language Summary

Chickens that had their pituitary gland removed shortly after birth developed anemia, immune deficiency, and blood clotting problems. Epitalon injections over 40 days completely reversed these abnormalities, while a closely related peptide (Cortagen) that differs by just one amino acid had no effect, demonstrating Epitalon's specific and potent immunoprotective properties.

Abstract

It has been found that chicken hypophysectomized early in the neonatal period develop anemia, cellular and humoral immune deficiency, hypercoagulation and inhibited fibrinolysis by their 45th postnatal day. An analogous operation performed on old birds produces less significant changes in erythrocytes, immunity and hemostasis. Injections of epithalon tetrapeptide (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly) administered to either hypophysectomized chicken or old birds during a period of 40 days completely eliminate the shifts registered in erythrocytes, immunity and hemostasis, while injections of cortagene (Ala-Glu-Asp-Pro) which is distinguished from epithalon by a different terminal aminoacid (with Gly being replaced by Pro) do not affect the parameters studied.

Authors

Kuznik, B I; Pateiuk, A V; Baranchugova, L M; Rusaeva, N S