Effect of synthetic thymic and pineal peptides on biomarkers of ageing, survival and spontaneous tumour incidence in female CBA mice

Abstract

Fifty female CBA mice were injected s.c. either with 0.1 ml saline, or with synthetic thymic dipeptide Lys-Glu or with synthetic pineal tetrapeptide Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly both in a single dose of 0.1 microg/animal monthly for five consecutive days from the age of 6 months until natural death. Lys-Glu did not significantly influence the body weight and food consumption, free radical processes and estrus function in mice and did increase their physical activity with the subsequent decrease in spontaneous lung adenomas incidence. The pineal peptide treatment was failed to modify the food consumption and physical strength of mice, and was followed by the increase in the body weight, mean survival (by 5.3%, P<0.05) and maximum (by 10 months), by slow down of the ageing of estrus function, by the decrease in body temperature, physical activity, free radical processes and spontaneous tumor incidence (mainly, lung adenomas) in mice. These data suggest the geroprotector potential of the pineal peptide.