NONENZYMATIC GLYCOSYLATION OF THE DIPEPTIDE L-CARNOSINE, A POTENTIAL ANTI-PROTEIN-CROSS-LINKING AGENT

The dipeptide carnosine (beta-alanyl-L-histidine) was readily glycosyl ated non-enzymatically upon incubation with the sugars glucose, galact ose, deoxyribose and the triose dihydroxyacetone, Carnosine inhibited glycation of actyl-Lys-His-amide by dihydroxyacetone and it protected alpha-crystallin, superoxide dismutase and catalise against glycation and cross-linking mediated by ribose, deoxyribose, dihydroxyacetone, d ihydroxyacetone phosphate and fructose. Unlike certain glycated amino acids, glycated carnosine was cion-mutagenic. The potential biological and therapeutic significance of these observations are discussed.