Research Center of Neurology, Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Neurochemistry, Volokolamskoe Shosse, 80, Moscow, 125367, Russia.
Faculty of Biology, Moscow State University, Moscow, 119234, Russia.
Amino Acids. 2019 Jan;51(1):139-150. doi: 10.1007/s00726-018-2667-7. Epub 2018 Oct 23.
Carnosine (b-alanyl-L-histidine) is an endogenous dipeptide widely distributed in excitable tissues, such as muscle and neural tissues-though in minor concentrations in the latter. Multiple benefits have been attributed to carnosine: direct and indirect antioxidant effect, antiglycating, metal-chelating, chaperone and pH-buffering activity. Thus, carnosine turns out to be a multipotent protector against oxidative damage. However, the role of carnosine in the brain remains unclear. The key aspects concerning carnosine in the brain reviewed are as follows: its concentration and bioavailability, mechanisms of action in neuronal and glial cells, beneficial effects in human studies. Recent literature data and the results of our own research are summarized here. This review covers studies of carnosine effects on both in vitro and in vivo models of cerebral damage, such as neurodegenerative disorders and ischemic injuries and the data on its physiological actions on neuronal signaling and cerebral functions. Besides its antioxidant and homeostatic properties, new potential roles of carnosine in the brain are discussed.
肌肽（β-丙氨酰-L-组氨酸）是一种内源性二肽，广泛分布于易兴奋组织，如肌肉和神经组织——尽管在后一种组织中的浓度较低。肌肽具有多种益处：直接和间接的抗氧化作用、抗糖化、金属螯合、伴侣和 pH 缓冲作用。因此，肌肽是一种针对氧化损伤的多效保护剂。然而，肌肽在大脑中的作用尚不清楚。本文综述了与大脑中肌肽相关的几个关键方面：其在大脑中的浓度和生物利用度、在神经元和神经胶质细胞中的作用机制、在人类研究中的有益作用。本文总结了最近的文献数据和我们自己的研究结果。该综述涵盖了肌肽对体外和体内脑损伤模型（如神经退行性疾病和缺血性损伤）的影响的研究，以及关于其对神经元信号和脑功能的生理作用的数据。除了其抗氧化和动态平衡特性外，还讨论了肌肽在大脑中的新的潜在作用。
