Kohen R, Yamamoto Y, Cundy K C, Ames B N
Department of Biochemistry, University of California, Berkeley 94720.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1988 May;85(9):3175-9. doi: 10.1073/pnas.85.9.3175.
Carnosine, homocarnosine, and anserine are present in high concentrations in the muscle and brain of many animals and humans. However, their exact function is not clear. The antioxidant activity of these compounds has been examined by testing their peroxyl radical-trapping ability at physiological concentrations. Carnosine, homocarnosine, anserine, and other histidine derivatives all showed antioxidant activity. All of these compounds showing peroxyl radical-trapping activity were also electrochemically active as reducing agents in cyclic voltammetric measurements. Furthermore, carnosine inhibited the oxidative hydroxylation of deoxyguanosine induced by ascorbic acid and copper ions. Other roles of carnosine, such as chelation of metal ions, quenching of singlet oxygen, and binding of hydroperoxides, are also discussed. The data suggest a role for these histidine-related compounds as endogenous antioxidants in brain and muscle.
肌肽、高肌肽和鹅肌肽在许多动物和人类的肌肉及大脑中大量存在。然而，它们的确切功能尚不清楚。通过检测这些化合物在生理浓度下捕获过氧自由基的能力，对其抗氧化活性进行了研究。肌肽、高肌肽、鹅肌肽及其他组氨酸衍生物均表现出抗氧化活性。在循环伏安测量中，所有表现出过氧自由基捕获活性的这些化合物作为还原剂也具有电化学活性。此外，肌肽抑制了由抗坏血酸和铜离子诱导的脱氧鸟苷的氧化羟基化反应。还讨论了肌肽的其他作用，如金属离子螯合、单线态氧猝灭及氢过氧化物结合。数据表明这些与组氨酸相关的化合物在大脑和肌肉中作为内源性抗氧化剂发挥作用。
