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Epigenetic Regulation of “Aged” Heterochromatin by Peptide Bioregulator Cortagen

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Abstract

Peptide bioregulator Cortagen (Ala-Glu-Asp-Pro) in humans demonstrated a pronounced therapeutic effect up on the structural and functional recovery of the damaged peripheral nerve tissue. The synthetic peptide Cortagen was obtained by directed synthesis based on amino acid analysis of natural brain cortex peptide preparation Cortexin. The effect of synthetic peptide bioregulator Cortagen on total, constitutive [pericentromeric, nucleolus organizer regions (NOR)] heterochromatin and facultative (transcriptionally inactive euchromatin) heterochromatin has been studied. We used a molecular-cytogenetic methods: differential scanning calorimetry; activity of ribosomal genes of acrocentric chromosome satellite stalks—NORs; polymorphism of structural pericentromeric C-heterochromatin; variability of the facultative heterochromatin (FH) in cultivated lymphocytes from individuals at the age of 80 and older. We show that peptide bioregulator Cortagen induces unrolling deheterochromatinization (decondensation) of total heterochromatin; activates synthetic processes of ribosomal genes as a result of deheterochromatinization of satellite stalks of acrocentric chromosomes; does not induce deheterochromatinization of pericentromeric structural heterochromatin; and releases repressed genes because of the condensation of euchromatic regions forming FH. Our data are important because it provides new information on the remodeling effects of FH induced by peptide bioregulator Cortagen in aging and aging pathologies, and may lead to the development of a therapeutic treatment.

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Acknowledgments

This article is dedicated to the memory of Professor A.A. Prokofieva-Belgovskaya from her grateful students.

Conflict of interest

Teimuraz Lezhava, Jamlet Monaselidze, Tinatin Jokhadze and Maia Gaiozishvili confirm that this article content has no conflicts of interest.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Human and Animal Rights

Samples of peripheral venous blood were obtained from individuals of 80 years and older, and from 20 to 40 years old individuals. Biological material (peripheral blood) was collected out in accordance with international requirements, Research object-isolated lymphocytes for cultivation (in vitro). All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. This article does not contain studies with animal subjects.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Genetics, Tbilisi State University, Chavchavadze Ave.1, 0179, Tbilisi, Georgia

    Teimuraz Lezhava, Tinatin Jokhadze & Maia Gaiozishvili

  2. Laboratory of Physics, Department of Physics of Biological Systems, E. Andronikashvili Institute of Physics, Tbilisi State University, Tbilisi, Georgia

    Jamlet Monaselidze

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  1. Teimuraz Lezhava
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  2. Jamlet Monaselidze
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  3. Tinatin Jokhadze
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  4. Maia Gaiozishvili
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Correspondence to Teimuraz Lezhava.

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Lezhava, T., Monaselidze, J., Jokhadze, T. et al. Epigenetic Regulation of “Aged” Heterochromatin by Peptide Bioregulator Cortagen. Int J Pept Res Ther 21, 157–163 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10989-014-9443-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10989-014-9443-7

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