Protective effects of carnosine against malondialdehyde-induced toxicity towards cultured rat brain endothelial cells

• Published in: Neuroscience letters 1997-12, Vol.238 (3), p.135-138
• Main Authors: Hipkiss, Alan R, Preston, Jane E, Himswoth, David T.M, Worthington, Viki C, Abbot, N.Joan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 3-[4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl]–2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Brain - drug effects; Brain - metabolism; Brain Injuries - chemically induced; Brain Injuries - prevention & control; Carnosine; Carnosine - pharmacology; Cell Survival - drug effects; Cells, Cultured; Cerebral circulation. Blood-brain barrier. Choroid plexus. Cerebrospinal fluid. Circumventricular organ. Meninges; Crystallins - drug effects; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Endothelium - drug effects; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Glucose - metabolism; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase - metabolism; Malondialdehyde; Malondialdehyde - toxicity; Mitochondria - metabolism; Protein cross-links and carbonyl groups; Rats; Reactive oxygen species; Vascular endothelial cells; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs
• ISSN: 0304-3940; 1872-7972
• DOI: 10.1016/S0304-3940(97)00873-2

Malondialdehyde (MDA) is a deleterious end-product of lipid peroxidation. The naturally-occurring dipeptide carnosine ( β-alanyl- l-histidine) is found in brain and innervated tissues at concentrations up to 20 mM. Recent studies have shown that carnosine can protect proteins against cross-linking mediated by aldehyde-containing sugars and glycolytic intermediates. Here we have investigated whether carnosine is protective against malondialdehyde-induced protein damage and cellular toxicity. The results show that carnosine can (1) protect cultured rat brain endothelial cells against MDA-induced toxicity and (2) inhibit MDA-induced protein modification (formation of cross-links and carbonyl groups).