Mechanism and biological role of carnosine and carnosine derivatives

• Grant number: 15/01681-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: August 01, 2015
• End date: July 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Metabolism and Bioenergetics
• Principal Investigator: Marisa Helena Gennari de Medeiros
• Grantee: Adauto Luis Lorenzini Pessoa
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/07937-8 - Redoxome - Redox Processes in Biomedicine, AP.CEPID

Abstract

An important goal of the CEPID-Redoxome project is to understand how redox-active intermediate reacts with specific biomolecules and the resulting effects, essential for designing biomarkers and antioxidants. Our group is studying the mechanisms of formation, detoxification and reaction with biomolecules of endogenous and exogenous aldehydes. Recently, the reaction of carnosine with acrolein was investigated by our group in an effort to assess its possible biological role. One stable adduct was isolated by reverse-phase HPLC and characterized on the basis of extensive spectroscopic measurements. This project aims to continue these studies investigating the role of carnosine in reactive aldehydes detoxification mechanisms and as singlet oxygen suppressor. This study is justified considering studies that indicate the ability of carnosine to reduce damage caused by ischemia/reperfusion in brain, liver, kidney and testis of animals and a possible therapeutic use of carnosine in conditions where the production of reactive aldehydes and reactive species oxygen are increased as in the case of individuals with ALDH2 deficiency and redox stress produced by cardiac ischemia. (AU)