• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.125-129
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• 2007

Neurofilament-L (NF-L) is a major element of the neuronal cytoskeleton and is essential for neuronal survival. Moreover, abnormalities in NF-L result in neurodegenerative disorders. Carnosine and the related endogeneous histidine dipeptides prevent protein modifications such as oxidation and glycation. In the present study, we investigated whether histidine dipeptides, carnosine, homocarnosine, or anserine protect NF-L against oxidative modification during reaction between cytochrome c and $H_2O_2$. Carnosine, homocarnosine and anserine all prevented cytochrome c/$H_2O_2$-mediated NF-L aggregation. In addition, these compounds also effectively inhibited the formation of dityrosine, and this inhibition was found to be associated with the reduced formations of oxidatively modified proteins. Our results suggest that carnosine and histidine dipeptides have antioxidant effects on brain proteins under pathophysiological conditions leading to degenerative damage, such as, those caused by neurodegenerative disorders.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.384-390
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• 2006

To improve the extractability of carnosine and the levels of pro-oxidants such as iron in eel (Anguilla japonica) extracts, we examined the effects of extraction time, temperature, ion exchange chromatography and ultrafiltration (UF). The respective protein and total iron were reduced approximately 55 and 60% at 60$^{\circ}C$, 63 and 70% at 80$^{\circ}C$, 68 and 76% at 100$^{\circ}C$ and 82 and 48% with ion exchange chromatography, respectively, compared to the untreated extract. However, there was no significant difference in the carnosine levels in the eel extracts. Ultrafiltration reduced the protein content of the extract by 52% compared with the untreated extract. UF reduced the protein contents of the samples from 60, 80, and 100% heat treatment and ion exchange chromatography treatment by 27, 50, 46 and 47%, respectively. UF reduced the total iron contents of the identical four treatments by 14, 22, 23, and 43%, respectively, while UF increased the carnosine by 23, 17, 20, and 6%, respectively.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.12
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• pp.1477-1485
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• 2013

The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in the meat quality and natural di-peptide (carnosine and anserine) content in the loin and ham cuts of female, Korean Native Black Pigs (KNBP) during cold storage for 10 days. The pH value of the loin and the ham cuts increased with an increase in the number of storage days. The lightness ($L^*$) of the loin cuts did not show any significant difference; however, the lightness of the ham cuts was decreased at storage day 10 (p<0.05). The redness ($a^*$) of the ham was higher than the redness of the loin (p<0.05) during the entire 10-days of storage. The water holding capacity of the loin was decreased from 78.5% to 67.9% during storage (p<0.05). The total number of microorganisms and coliforms was increased in both the loin and the ham during storage, and the initial total microbial contamination was higher in the ham cut (5.16 log CFU/g) than it was in the loin cut (4.87 log CFU/g). The carnosine content of the loin and the ham was in the range of 1.12-1.35 mg/ml and no significant difference was found between those two pork cuts. The anserine content of the ham cut was higher than it was in the loin cut until storage day 3. The ratio of carnosine and anserine increased with an increase in the number of storage days and it ranged from 27.6-59.7 for the loin cut and from 20.1-51.2 for the ham cut. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity of the loin and the ham cuts significantly decreased as the number of storage days increased. For both types of KNBP cuts, lipid oxidation and volatile basic nitrogen significantly increased after storage day 5. These results found that natural antioxidants carnosine and anserine decreased as the number of storage days increased, and anserine decreased more rapidly than carnosine (p<0.05).

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.1243-1246
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• 2008

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.28 no.10
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• pp.1881-1884
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• 2007

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.178-180
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• 2005

• Toxicological Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.33-38
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• 2007

Zinc is an endogenous transition metal that can be synaptically released during neuronal activity. However, zinc may contribute to the neuropathology associated with a variety of conditions. Carnosine expressed in glial cells can modulate the effects of zinc on neuronal excitability as a zinc chelator. We hypothesize that carnosine may protect against neurotoxicity of zinc in cortical neuronal cells. The cortical neuronal cells from newborn rats were prepared and exposed to zinc chloride and/or carnosine at various concentrations. Zinc at the doses of 0 to $500{\mu}M$ decreased neuronal cell viability in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, at the concentrations of 100 and $200{\mu}M$, it significantly decreased cell viability in an exposed time-dependent manner (p < 0.05). Treatment with carnosine at the concentrations of 20 and $200{\mu}M$ significantly increased neuronal cell proliferation by approximately 14% and 20%, respectively, compared to the control (p < 0.05). At the concentrations of 100 and $200{\mu}M$ zinc, $20{\mu}M$ carnosine significantly increased the viability of neuronal cells by 18.3% and 12.1 %, and $200{\mu}M$ carnosine also increased it by 33.5% and 28.6%, respectively, compared to the normal control group (p < 0.01). These results suggest that carnosine at a physiologically relevant level may protect against zinc-mediated toxicity in neuronal cells as an endogenous neuroprotective agent.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.830-834
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• 2006

Lipid peroxidation induced by the reaction of cytochrome c with $H_2O_2$ was investigated. When linoleic acid micelles or phosphatidyl choline liposomes were incubated with cytochrome c and $H_2O_2$, lipid peroxidation was increased in cytochrome c and $H_2O_2$ concentrations-dependent manner. Radical scavengers, azide, formate and ethanol prevented lipid peroxidation induced by the cytochrome c/$H_2O_2$ system. Iron specific chelator, desferoxamine also prevented the cytochrome c/$H_2O_2$ system-mediated lipid peroxidation. These results suggest that lipid peroxidation may be induced by the cytochrome c/$H_2O_2$ system via the generation of free radicals. Carnosine, homocarnosine and anserine are present in the muscle and brain of many animals and human. Previous studies show that these compounds have an antioxidant function. In the present study, carnosine, homocarnosine and anserine significantly prevented the cytochrome c/$H_2O_2$ system-mediated lipid peroxidation. Carnosine and related compounds also inhibited the free radical-generating activity of cytochrome c. The results suggest that carnosine, homocarnosine and anserine may prevent lipid peroxidation induced by the cytochrome c/$H_2O_2$ system through a free radical scavenging.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.127-132
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• 2014

Optimization of carnosine and anserine extraction from chicken breast was performed using response surface methodology (RSM) to obtain the maximized physiological activities for anti-glycation and anti-oxidation. The optimum extraction conditions were water extraction for 1.6 h in the case of the 20-wk laying hen muscle and water extraction for 2.12 h in the case of 90-wk laying hen muscle. Higher carnosine and anserine contents were measured in the 20-wk laying hen muscle, along with higher physiological activities, which increased in direct proportion with the dipeptide contents. The extracts prepared from the 20-wk laying hen under optimum conditions showed 57% inhibition of advanced glycated end-product formation, 64% inhibition of lipid peroxidation, and 61% of DPPH radical scavenging effects. On the other hand, 52% inhibition of AGE formation, 62% inhibition of lipid peroxidation, and 53% of DPPH radical scavenging effect were demonstrated within the 90-wk laying hen. In addition, the ratio of carnosine was a key indicator for the physiological activities of the extracts.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.731-734
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• 2012