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Study · In vitro (cells) · mouse · 2021

8 results

Hexarelin Modulation of MAPK and PI3K/Akt Pathways in Neuro-2A Cells Inhibits Hydrogen Peroxide-Induced Apoptotic Toxicity.

Meanti R, Rizzi L, Bresciani E, Molteni L, Locatelli V, Coco S, Omeljaniuk RJ, Torsello A

Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)8 May 2021Cited by 8 (Europe PMC)

PMID34066741 (opens in a new tab)PMCIDPMC8150489 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.3390/ph14050444 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-34066741
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Summary

Hexarelin, a synthetic hexapeptide, exerts cyto-protective effects at the mitochondrial level in cardiac and skeletal muscles, both in vitro and in vivo, may also have important neuroprotective bioactivities. This study examined the inhibitory effects of hexarelin on hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced apoptosis in Neuro-2A cells. Neuro-2A cells were treated for 24 h with various concentrations of H2O2 or with the combination of H2O2 and hexarelin following which cell viability and nitrite (NO2-) release were measured. Cell morphology was also documented throughout and changes arising were quantified using Image J skeleton and fractal analysis procedures. Apoptotic responses were evaluated by Real-Time PCR (caspase-3, caspase-7, Bax, and Bcl-2 mRNA levels) and Western Blot (cleaved caspase-3, cleaved caspase-7, MAPK, and Akt). Our results indicate that hexarelin effectively antagonized H2O2-induced damage to Neuro-2A cells thereby (i) improving cell viability, (ii) reducing NO2- release and (iii) restoring normal morphologies. Hexarelin treatment also reduced mRNA levels of caspase-3 and its activation, and modulated mRNA levels of the BCL-2 family. Moreover, hexarelin inhibited MAPKs phosphorylation and increased p-Akt protein expression. In conclusion, our results demonstrate neuroprotective and anti-apoptotic effects of hexarelin, suggesting that new analogues could be developed for their neuroprotective effects.
CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study8

8 results from studies that gave the peptide. No result from this study comes from people.

  1. 01LabIn vitro (cells)Activity measurement

    In Neuro-2A cells exposed to hydrogen peroxide, hexarelin improved cell viability.

    In plain wordsIn cells, hexarelin improved the survival of nerve-like cells damaged by hydrogen peroxide.

    Peptide
    Hexarelin
    Outcome
    IncreaseCell viability under H2O2
    Study

    mousen: not reported in source

    Neuro-2A cells exposed to H2O2
    Outcome group
    Neuroprotection · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · 24 hAs given in this study (mouse).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Our results indicate that hexarelin effectively antagonized H2O2-induced damage to Neuro-2A cells thereby (i) improving cell viability, (ii) reducing NO2- release and (iii) restoring normal morphologies.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Neuro-2A cells were treated for 24 h with various concentrations of H2O2 or with the combination of H2O2 and hexarelin following which cell viability and nitrite (NO2-) release were measured.
  2. 02LabIn vitro (cells)Activity measurement

    In Neuro-2A cells exposed to hydrogen peroxide, hexarelin reduced nitrite release.

    In plain wordsIn cells, hexarelin reduced nitrite release caused by hydrogen peroxide damage.

    Peptide
    Hexarelin
    Outcome
    DecreaseNitrite release
    Study

    mousen: not reported in source

    Neuro-2A cells exposed to H2O2
    Outcome group
    Neuroprotection · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · 24 hAs given in this study (mouse).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Our results indicate that hexarelin effectively antagonized H2O2-induced damage to Neuro-2A cells thereby (i) improving cell viability, (ii) reducing NO2- release and (iii) restoring normal morphologies.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Neuro-2A cells were treated for 24 h with various concentrations of H2O2 or with the combination of H2O2 and hexarelin following which cell viability and nitrite (NO2-) release were measured.
  3. 03LabIn vitro (cells)Activity measurement

    In Neuro-2A cells exposed to hydrogen peroxide, hexarelin restored normal cell morphologies.

    In plain wordsIn cells, hexarelin restored normal cell shapes after hydrogen peroxide damage.

    Peptide
    Hexarelin
    Outcome
    Not applicableCell morphology
    Study

    mousen: not reported in source

    Neuro-2A cells exposed to H2O2
    Outcome group
    Neuroprotection · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · 24 hAs given in this study (mouse).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Our results indicate that hexarelin effectively antagonized H2O2-induced damage to Neuro-2A cells thereby (i) improving cell viability, (ii) reducing NO2- release and (iii) restoring normal morphologies.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Neuro-2A cells were treated for 24 h with various concentrations of H2O2 or with the combination of H2O2 and hexarelin following which cell viability and nitrite (NO2-) release were measured.
  4. 04LabIn vitro (cells)Mechanism

    In Neuro-2A cells exposed to hydrogen peroxide, hexarelin reduced caspase-3 mRNA levels.

    In plain wordsIn cells, hexarelin lowered caspase-3 mRNA, a cell-death marker.

    Peptide
    Hexarelin
    Outcome
    DecreaseCaspase-3 mRNA level
    Study

    mousen: not reported in source

    Neuro-2A cells exposed to H2O2
    Outcome group
    Neuroprotection · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · 24 hAs given in this study (mouse).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Hexarelin treatment also reduced mRNA levels of caspase-3 and its activation
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Neuro-2A cells were treated for 24 h with various concentrations of H2O2 or with the combination of H2O2 and hexarelin following which cell viability and nitrite (NO2-) release were measured.
  5. 05LabIn vitro (cells)Mechanism

    In Neuro-2A cells exposed to hydrogen peroxide, hexarelin reduced caspase-3 activation.

    In plain wordsIn cells, hexarelin reduced activation of caspase-3, a cell-death enzyme.

    Peptide
    Hexarelin
    Outcome
    DecreaseCaspase-3 activation
    Study

    mousen: not reported in source

    Neuro-2A cells exposed to H2O2
    Outcome group
    Neuroprotection · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · 24 hAs given in this study (mouse).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Hexarelin treatment also reduced mRNA levels of caspase-3 and its activation
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Neuro-2A cells were treated for 24 h with various concentrations of H2O2 or with the combination of H2O2 and hexarelin following which cell viability and nitrite (NO2-) release were measured.
  6. 06LabIn vitro (cells)Mechanism

    In Neuro-2A cells exposed to hydrogen peroxide, hexarelin modulated mRNA levels of the BCL-2 family.

    In plain wordsIn cells, hexarelin changed mRNA levels of BCL-2 family genes that control cell death.

    Peptide
    Hexarelin
    Outcome
    Direction not reportedBCL-2 family mRNA levels
    Study

    mousen: not reported in source

    Neuro-2A cells exposed to H2O2
    Outcome group
    Neuroprotection · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · 24 hAs given in this study (mouse).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    and modulated mRNA levels of the BCL-2 family.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Neuro-2A cells were treated for 24 h with various concentrations of H2O2 or with the combination of H2O2 and hexarelin following which cell viability and nitrite (NO2-) release were measured.
  7. 07LabIn vitro (cells)Mechanism

    In Neuro-2A cells exposed to hydrogen peroxide, hexarelin inhibited MAPK phosphorylation.

    In plain wordsIn cells, hexarelin reduced MAPK phosphorylation, a stress-signaling step.

    Peptide
    Hexarelin
    Outcome
    DecreaseMAPK phosphorylation
    Study

    mousen: not reported in source

    Neuro-2A cells exposed to H2O2
    Outcome group
    Neuroprotection · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · 24 hAs given in this study (mouse).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Moreover, hexarelin inhibited MAPKs phosphorylation and increased p-Akt protein expression.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Neuro-2A cells were treated for 24 h with various concentrations of H2O2 or with the combination of H2O2 and hexarelin following which cell viability and nitrite (NO2-) release were measured.
  8. 08LabIn vitro (cells)Mechanism

    In Neuro-2A cells exposed to hydrogen peroxide, hexarelin increased p-Akt protein expression.

    In plain wordsIn cells, hexarelin increased p-Akt, a cell-survival signal.

    Peptide
    Hexarelin
    Outcome
    Increasep-Akt protein expression
    Study

    mousen: not reported in source

    Neuro-2A cells exposed to H2O2
    Outcome group
    Neuroprotection · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · 24 hAs given in this study (mouse).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    and increased p-Akt protein expression.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Neuro-2A cells were treated for 24 h with various concentrations of H2O2 or with the combination of H2O2 and hexarelin following which cell viability and nitrite (NO2-) release were measured.

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

  1. Version 2Current

    13 Oct 2026, 21:44 UTC

    Study results updated

  2. Version 1

    13 Oct 2026, 16:31 UTC

    First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

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