Distribution of a behaviorally highly potent ACTH4-9 analog in rat brain after intraventricular administration

Distribution within the brain of a 3-fold modified ACTH4-9 analog with a remarkably potentiated behavioral activity, 4-MET (O2), 8-d-Lys, 9-Phe-ACTH4-9, was investigated. The radioactive labeled [7-3H-Phe]ACTH4-9 analog was administered intraventricularly in urethane anesthetized rats in a dose of approximately 170 ng. Total radioactivity in CSF, measured in samples drawn from the cisterna magna, decreased over the period of 0.5-4 h after injection from 51 to 2% of the injected dose. Intraventricular injection of the ACTH4-9 analog resulted in high intact peptide levels in the brain. At 2 h after injection the distribution of radioactivity over 2500 micronm and 300 micronm frontal cut brain slices was rather homogenous. Data from distribution studies over topographically defined gross brain structures indicated that the septal area, which is involved in eliciting behavioral activities of ACTH-like neuropeptides, accumulated most of the injected radioactivity per gram wet weight. The distribution profiles within the brain of the [3H]ACTH4-9 analog and [3H]Phe showed considerable differences. Uptake studies in various brain nuclei after intraventricular administration of the [3H]ACTH4-9 analog demonstrated that the greatest part of the investigated nuclei exhibited relative low or medium uptake of radioactivity. This was also true for hippocampal and thalamic nuclei, which have been suggested as effected sites of action for ACTH peptides. Very high accumulation of radioactivity occurred only in the septal nuclei, particularly the dorsal and fimbrial septal nuclei. The results indicate selective uptake of the ACTH4-9 analog in the septal area, suggesting a possible significance of this area as a site of action of ACTH neuro-peptides.