Novel humanin analogs confer neuroprotection and myoprotection to neuronal and myoblast cell cultures exposed to ischemia-like and doxorubicin-induced cell death insults.

Humanin (HN) is a 24-amino acid mitochondrial-derived peptide, best known for its ability to protect neurons from damage caused by ischemic stroke and neurodegenerative insults and cardiomyocytes from myocardial infarction or doxorubicin (Dox)-induced cardiotoxicity. This study examines the neuroprotective and myoprotective effects of HN novel synthetic analogs HUJInin and c(D-Ser14-HN), prepared by solid-phase peptide synthesis. The cellular models employed were oxygen-glucose-deprivation (OGD) followed by reoxygenation (R)-induced neurotoxicity in PC12 and SH-SY5Y neuronal cell cultures and Dox-induced cardiotoxicity in H9c2 and C2C12 myoblast cell cultures, respectively.