PROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF CARNOSINE AGAINST PROTEIN MODIFICATION MEDIATEDBY MALONDIALDEHYDE AND HYPOCHLORITE

Malondialdehyde (MDA) and hypochlorite anions are deleterious products of oxygen free-radical metabolism The effects of carnosine, a natural ly occurring dipeptide (beta-alanyl-L-histidine), on protein modificat ion mediated by MDA and hypochlorite have been studied. MDA and hypoch lorite induced formation of carbonyl groups and high molecular weight and cross-linked forms of crystallin, ovalbumin and bovine serum album in. The presence of carnosine effectively inhibited these modification s in a concentration-dependent manner. It is proposed that relatively non-toxic carnosine and related peptides might be explored as potentia l therapeutic agents for pathologies that involve protein modification mediated by MDA or hypochlorite. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.