Cell-permeable peptide antioxidants as a novel therapeutic approach in a mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Petri, Susanne; Kiaei, Mahmoud; Damiano, Maria; Hiller, Andrew; Wille, Elizabeth; Manfredi, Giovanni; Calingasan, Noel Y.; Szeto, Hazel H.; Beal, M. Flint

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a major role in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. They are important contributors to necrotic and apoptotic cell death. A major proportion of cellular ROS is generated at the inner mitochondrial membrane by the respiratory chain. In the present study, we investigated a novel peptide antioxidant (SS-31) targeted to the inner mitochondrial membrane for its therapeutic effects both in vitro and in vivo in the G93A mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). SS-31 protected against cell death induced by hydrogen peroxide in vitro in neuronal cells stably transfected with either wild-type or mutant Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1). Daily intraperitoneal injections of SS-31 (5 mg/kg), starting at 30 days of age, led to a significant improvement in survival and motor performance. In comparison with vehicle-treated G93A mice, SS-31-treated mice showed a decreased cell loss and a decrease in immunostaining for markers of oxidative stress in the lumbar spinal cord. This further enhances the concept that pharmacological modification of oxidative stress is a therapeutic option for the treatment of ALS.

AMYOTROPHIC lateral sclerosis; APOPTOSIS; LABORATORY mice; MITOCHONDRIA; REACTIVE oxygen species; NEURODEGENERATION; CELL death

Journal of Neurochemistry, 2006, Vol 98, Issue 4, p1141

0022-3042

Academic Journal

10.1111/j.1471-4159.2006.04018.x