Effect of delta sleep-inducing peptide on oxidative modification of proteins in rat tissues and blood during physiological aging.

Accumulation of oxidized proteins (evaluated by the levels of carbonyl and SH groups) in tissues of 2-24-month-old rats (spleen>myocardium>testicles>liver>skeletal muscles) has been demonstrated. Exogenous delta sleep-inducing peptide injected subcutaneously to rats of different age in a dose of 100 µg/kg by monthly 5-day courses protected proteins of the studied tissues from oxidation; its effect was tissue-specific. Delta sleep-inducing peptide exhibited a hypoglycemic effect: it prevented nonenzymatic glycosylation of hemoglobin and reduced the level of defective protein molecules during aging.