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Nutrients Jan 2021The worldwide increase in the number of patients with dementia is becoming a growing problem, while Alzheimer's disease (AD), a primary neurodegenerative disorder,... (Review)
Review
The worldwide increase in the number of patients with dementia is becoming a growing problem, while Alzheimer's disease (AD), a primary neurodegenerative disorder, accounts for more than 70% of all dementia cases. Research on the prevention or reduction of AD occurrence through food ingredients has been widely conducted. In particular, histidine-containing dipeptides, also known as imidazole dipeptides derived from meat, have received much attention. Imidazole dipeptides are abundant in meats such as poultry, fish, and pork. As evidenced by data from recent human intervention trials conducted worldwide, daily supplementation of carnosine and anserine, which are both imidazole dipeptides, can improve memory loss in the elderly and reduce the risk of developing AD. This article also summarizes the latest researches on the biochemical properties of imidazole dipeptides and their effects on animal models associated with age-related cognitive decline. In this review, we focus on the results of human intervention studies using supplements of poultry-derived imidazole dipeptides, including anserine and carnosine, affecting the preservation of cognitive function in the elderly, and discuss how imidazole dipeptides act in the brain to prevent age-related cognitive decline and the onset of dementia.
Topics: Aged; Alzheimer Disease; Animals; Anserine; Brain; Carnosine; Cognition; Cognitive Dysfunction; Dietary Supplements; Dipeptides; Disease Models, Animal; Humans; Imidazoles; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 33513893
DOI: 10.3390/nu13020397 -
Biochemical and Biophysical Research... Jul 2022Carnosine and anserine are abundant peptides found in the skeletal muscle and nervous system in many vertebrates. Several in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrate...
Carnosine and anserine are abundant peptides found in the skeletal muscle and nervous system in many vertebrates. Several in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrate that exogenously administered carnosine improves exercise performance. Furthermore, carnosine is an antioxidant and antifatigue supplement. However, the physiological functions of endogenous carnosine and its related histidine-containing dipeptides in a living organism remain unclear. We aimed to clarify the physiological roles of endogenous carnosine by investigating the characteristics of carnosine synthase gene-deficient mice and the effects of carnosine on skeletal muscle protein metabolism. We discovered that carnosine and anserine were undetectable in the skeletal muscle of carnosine synthase knockout mice. We also quantified protein gene expression and enzyme levels in muscle protein metabolism. Gene and protein levels of the muscle protein synthesizer insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and the degrading enzyme cathepsin B were markedly lower in carnosine synthase gene-deficient mice than those in wild-type mice. The amount of 3-methylhistidine (a marker for muscle proteolysis) in forced exercise and the weight of the gastrocnemius muscle were considerably lower in carnosine synthase gene-deficient mice than in wild-type mice. Consequently, we showed that carnosine deficiency affects weight maintenance and protein metabolism in skeletal muscle, suggesting that carnosine regulates skeletal muscle protein metabolism.
Topics: Animals; Anserine; Carnosine; Dipeptides; Mice; Muscle Proteins; Muscle, Skeletal; Peptide Synthases
PubMed: 35500438
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2022.04.075 -
Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal... Sep 2019In this study, we evaluated the nutritional value and antioxidant activity of black goat loin (BGL) and black goat rump (BGR) meat.
OBJECTIVE
In this study, we evaluated the nutritional value and antioxidant activity of black goat loin (BGL) and black goat rump (BGR) meat.
METHODS
We evaluated the proximate compositions, collagen and mineral contents, and fatty acid compositions of BGL and BGR with respect to their nutritional value. The levels of bioactive compounds such as L-carnitine, creatine, creatinine, carnosine, and anserine were also measured. The ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), 2,2-azinobis (3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging, and oxygen radical absorption capacity (ORAC) were assessed to evaluate the antioxidant activity of BGL and BGR.
RESULTS
BGR showed higher collagen, Fe, Ca, P, and Na contents than did BGL (p < 0.05). Notably, the Ca/P ratio was high in both BGR and BGL (1.82 and 1.54, respectively), thus satisfying the recommendation that the Ca/P ratio is between 1 and 2. BGL showed a significantly higher content of desirable fatty acids (stearic acid and total unsaturated fatty acids) than did BGR. In addition, the levels of creatine, carnosine, and anserine in BGL were higher than those in BGR (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the antioxidant activity between BGL and BGR, as assessed by FRAP [both 15.92 mM Trolox equivalent (TE) per gram of DM], ABTS (12.51 and 12.90 mM TE/g DM, respectively), and ORAC (101.25 and 99.06 mM TE/g DM, respectively) assays.
CONCLUSION
This was a primary study conducted to evaluate the differences in nutritional value and antioxidant activity between loin and rump cuts of black goat meat. Our results provide fundamental knowledge that can help understand the properties of black goat meat.
PubMed: 31010982
DOI: 10.5713/ajas.18.0951 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... Nov 2023The physical properties, free amino acids, and metabolites of Beijing-You chicken (BYC) breast meat aged 90, 120, and 150 days were analyzed to investigate the flavor...
The physical properties, free amino acids, and metabolites of Beijing-You chicken (BYC) breast meat aged 90, 120, and 150 days were analyzed to investigate the flavor changes with age. The shear force and intramuscular fat increased from 90 to 120 days significantly. The contents of total free amino acids and essential amino acids decreased from 90 to 120 days significantly. No significant differences were detected between 120 and 150 days. The contents of sweet amino acids, bitter amino acids, and umami amino acids showed no significant differences between different ages. In addition, GC-MS and LC-MS were integrated for metabolite detection in breast meat. A total of 128, 142, and 88 differential metabolites were identified in the comparison groups of 120 d vs. 90 d, 150 d vs. 90 d, and 150 d vs. 120 d. Amino acids and lipids were the main differential metabolites. The pathway analysis showed that arginine biosynthesis, histidine metabolism, purine metabolism, and cysteine and methionine metabolism were the main pathways involved in flavor formation during BYC development. It was also found that the metabolites associated with flavor, such as methionine, cysteine, glucose, anserine, arachidonic acid, and glycerol 1-phosphate, were significantly affected by age.
PubMed: 37958174
DOI: 10.3390/ani13213419 -
Amino Acids Dec 2015Histidine-containing dipeptides like carnosine and anserine have protective functions in both health and disease. Animal studies suggest that carnosine can be...
Histidine-containing dipeptides like carnosine and anserine have protective functions in both health and disease. Animal studies suggest that carnosine can be metabolized within the kidney. The goal of this study was to obtain evidence of carnosine metabolism in the human kidney and to provide insight with regards to diabetic nephropathy. Expression, distribution, and localization of carnosinase-1 (CNDP1), carnosine synthase (CARNS), and taurine transporters (TauT) were measured in human kidneys. CNDP1 and CARNS activities were measured in vitro. CNDP1 and CARNS were located primarily in distal and proximal tubules, respectively. Specifically, CNDP1 levels were high in tubular cells and podocytes (20.3 ± 3.4 and 15 ± 3.2 ng/mg, respectively) and considerably lower in endothelial cells (0.5 ± 0.1 ng/mg). CNDP1 expression was correlated with the degradation of carnosine and anserine (r = 0.88 and 0.81, respectively). Anserine and carnosine were also detectable by HPLC in the renal cortex. Finally, TauT mRNA and protein were found in all renal epithelial cells. In diabetic patients, CNDP1 seemed to be reallocated to proximal tubules. We report compelling evidence that the kidney has an intrinsic capacity to metabolize carnosine. Both CNDP1 and CARNS are expressed in glomeruli and tubular cells. Carnosine-synthesizing and carnosine-hydrolyzing enzymes are localized in distinct compartments in the nephron and increased CNDP1 levels suggest a higher CNDP1 activity in diabetic kidneys.
Topics: Anserine; Carnosine; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Diabetic Neuropathies; Dipeptidases; Endothelial Cells; Epithelial Cells; Gene Expression Profiling; Gene Expression Regulation; Humans; Hydrolysis; Immunohistochemistry; Kidney; Kidney Tubules; Membrane Glycoproteins; Membrane Transport Proteins; Nephrons; Peptide Synthases; Podocytes; RNA, Messenger
PubMed: 26206726
DOI: 10.1007/s00726-015-2045-7 -
Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and... Aug 2023Muscle wasting during cancer cachexia is mediated by protein degradation via autophagy and ubiquitin-linked proteolysis. These processes are sensitive to changes in...
BACKGROUND
Muscle wasting during cancer cachexia is mediated by protein degradation via autophagy and ubiquitin-linked proteolysis. These processes are sensitive to changes in intracellular pH ([pH] ) and reactive oxygen species, which in skeletal muscle are partly regulated by histidyl dipeptides, such as carnosine. These dipeptides, synthesized by the enzyme carnosine synthase (CARNS), remove lipid peroxidation-derived aldehydes, and buffer [pH] . Nevertheless, their role in muscle wasting has not been studied.
METHODS
Histidyl dipeptides in the rectus abdominis (RA) muscle and red blood cells (RBCs) of male and female controls (n = 37), weight stable (WS: n = 35), and weight losing (WL; n = 30) upper gastrointestinal cancer (UGIC) patients, were profiled by LC-MS/MS. Expression of enzymes and amino acid transporters, involved in carnosine homeostasis, was measured by Western blotting and RT-PCR. Skeletal muscle myotubes were treated with Lewis lung carcinoma conditioned medium (LLC CM), and β-alanine to study the effects of enhancing carnosine production on muscle wasting.
RESULTS
Carnosine was the predominant dipeptide present in the RA muscle. In controls, carnosine levels were higher in men (7.87 ± 1.98 nmol/mg tissue) compared with women (4.73 ± 1.26 nmol/mg tissue; P = 0.002). In men, carnosine was significantly reduced in both the WS (5.92 ± 2.04 nmol/mg tissue, P = 0.009) and WL (6.15 ± 1.90 nmol/mg tissue; P = 0.030) UGIC patients, compared with controls. In women, carnosine was decreased in the WL UGIC (3.42 ± 1.33 nmol/mg tissue; P = 0.050), compared with WS UGIC patients (4.58 ± 1.57 nmol/mg tissue), and controls (P = 0.025). Carnosine was significantly reduced in the combined WL UGIC patients (5.12 ± 2.15 nmol/mg tissue) compared with controls (6.21 ± 2.24 nmol/mg tissue; P = 0.045). Carnosine was also significantly reduced in the RBCs of WL UGIC patients (0.32 ± 0.24 pmol/mg protein), compared with controls (0.49 ± 0.31 pmol/mg protein, P = 0.037) and WS UGIC patients (0.51 ± 0.40 pmol/mg protein, P = 0.042). Depletion of carnosine diminished the aldehyde-removing ability in the muscle of WL UGIC patients. Carnosine levels were positively associated with decreases in skeletal muscle index in the WL UGIC patients. CARNS expression was decreased in the muscle of WL UGIC patients and myotubes treated with LLC-CM. Treatment with β-alanine, a carnosine precursor, enhanced endogenous carnosine production and decreased ubiquitin-linked protein degradation in LLC-CM treated myotubes.
CONCLUSIONS
Depletion of carnosine could contribute to muscle wasting in cancer patients by lowering the aldehyde quenching abilities. Synthesis of carnosine by CARNS in myotubes is particularly affected by tumour derived factors and could contribute to carnosine depletion in WL UGIC patients. Increasing carnosine in skeletal muscle may be an effective therapeutic intervention to prevent muscle wasting in cancer patients.
Topics: Female; Humans; Male; Aldehydes; beta-Alanine; Carcinoma, Lewis Lung; Carnosine; Chromatography, Liquid; Dipeptides; Muscle, Skeletal; Muscular Atrophy; Tandem Mass Spectrometry; Ubiquitins
PubMed: 37199284
DOI: 10.1002/jcsm.13258 -
Nutrients Apr 2020The study tested whether anserine (beta-alanyl-3-methyl-l-histidine), the active ingredient of chicken essence affects exercise-induced oxidative stress, cell integrity,... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
The study tested whether anserine (beta-alanyl-3-methyl-l-histidine), the active ingredient of chicken essence affects exercise-induced oxidative stress, cell integrity, and haematology biomarkers. In a randomized placebo-controlled repeated-measures design, ten healthy men ingested anserine in either a low dose (ANS-LD) 15 mg.kg.bw, high dose (ANS-HD) 30 mg.kg.bw, or placebo (PLA), following an exercise challenge (time to exhaustion), on three separate occasions. Anserine supplementation increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) by 50% ( < 0.001, effect size d = 0.8 for both ANS-LD and ANS-HD), and preserved catalase (CAT) activity suggesting an improved antioxidant activity. However, both ANS-LD and ANS-HD elevated glutathione disulfide (GSSG), (both < 0.001, main treatment effect), and consequently lowered the glutathione to glutathione disulfide (GSH/GSSG) ratio compared with PLA ( < 0.01, main treatment effect), without significant effects on thiobarbituric acid active reactive substances (TBARS). Exercise-induced cell damage biomarkers of glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and myoglobin were unaffected by anserine. There were slight but significant elevations in glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) and creatine kinase isoenzyme (CKMB), especially in ANS-HD ( < 0.05) compared with ANS-LD or PLA. Haematological biomarkers were largely unaffected by anserine, its dose, and without interaction with post exercise time-course. However, compared with ANS-LD and PLA, ANS-HD increased the mean cell volume (MCV), and decreased the mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) ( < 0.001). Anserine preserves cellular homoeostasis through enhanced antioxidant activity and protects cell integrity in healthy men, which is important for chronic disease prevention. However, anserine temporal elevated exercise-induced cell-damage, together with enhanced antioxidant activity and haematological responses suggest an augmented exercise-induced adaptative response and recovery.
Topics: Adult; Anserine; Antioxidants; Catalase; Cell Size; Cross-Over Studies; Dietary Supplements; Exercise; Glutathione; Glutathione Disulfide; Healthy Volunteers; Hemoglobins; Homeostasis; Humans; Male; Oxidative Stress; Superoxide Dismutase; Young Adult
PubMed: 32325914
DOI: 10.3390/nu12041146 -
Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal... Nov 2020The increasing consumer awareness of food, which can provide health benefits and potentially aid disease prevention, has become the driving force of the functional food...
OBJECTIVE
The increasing consumer awareness of food, which can provide health benefits and potentially aid disease prevention, has become the driving force of the functional food market. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of chicken genotype on the macronutrient content, bioactive peptide content, and antioxidant capacity within different breast meat.
METHODS
In this experiment, three genotypes of chicken, Thai indigenous, black-boned, and broiler (control), were reared with commercial feed under the same conditions. Thirty chickens were slaughtered at typical market age and the breasts were separated from the carcass to determine macronutrient content using the AOAC method. The antioxidant capacities of the chicken breasts were evaluated by in vitro antioxidant assays and the protein pattern was investigated using gel electrophoresis. Carnosine and anserine, which have antioxidant properties in animal tissue, were determined using high performance liquid chromatography.
RESULTS
The results showed that breast meat from Thai indigenous chickens had a greater macronutrient content and higher antioxidant capacity compared with the other genotypes (p<0.05). The protein pattern was similar between genotypes, however Thai indigenous chickens had the greatest myosin and actin content (p<0.05). In addition, carnosine and anserine values were greatest in the black-boned and Thai indigenous chickens compared with the broiler genotype (p<0.05).
CONCLUSION
Thai indigenous chicken breast meat may be classified as a functional food as it has good nutritional value and is rich in antioxidant peptides.
PubMed: 32054163
DOI: 10.5713/ajas.19.0736 -
International Journal of Molecular... Sep 2021Amino acids have a central role in cell metabolism, and intracellular changes contribute to the pathogenesis of various diseases, while the role and specific organ...
BACKGROUND
Amino acids have a central role in cell metabolism, and intracellular changes contribute to the pathogenesis of various diseases, while the role and specific organ distribution of dipeptides is largely unknown.
METHOD
We established a sensitive, rapid and reliable UPLC-MS/MS method for quantification of 36 dipeptides. Dipeptide patterns were analyzed in brown and white adipose tissues, brain, eye, heart, kidney, liver, lung, muscle, sciatic nerve, pancreas, spleen and thymus, serum and urine of C57BL/6N wildtype mice and related to the corresponding amino acid profiles.
RESULTS
A total of 30 out of the 36 investigated dipeptides were detected with organ-specific distribution patterns. Carnosine and anserine were most abundant in all organs, with the highest concentrations in muscles. In liver, Asp-Gln and Ala-Gln concentrations were high, in the spleen and thymus, Glu-Ser and Gly-Asp. In serum, dipeptide concentrations were several magnitudes lower than in organ tissues. In all organs, dipeptides with C-terminal proline (Gly-Pro and Leu-Pro) were present at higher concentrations than dipeptides with N-terminal proline (Pro-Gly and Pro-Leu). Organ-specific amino acid profiles were related to the dipeptide profile with several amino acid concentrations being related to the isomeric form of the dipeptides. Aspartate, histidine, proline and serine tissue concentrations correlated with dipeptide concentrations, when the amino acids were present at the C- but not at the N-terminus.
CONCLUSION
Our multi-dipeptide quantification approach demonstrates organ-specific dipeptide distribution. This method allows us to understand more about the dipeptide metabolism in disease or in healthy state.
Topics: Amino Acids; Animals; Body Fluids; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Dipeptides; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Organ Specificity; Reference Standards; Reproducibility of Results; Stereoisomerism; Tandem Mass Spectrometry; Mice
PubMed: 34576148
DOI: 10.3390/ijms22189979 -
PeerJ 2020In European and North American cities geese are among the most common and most visible large herbivores. As such, their presence and behaviour often conflict with the...
BACKGROUND
In European and North American cities geese are among the most common and most visible large herbivores. As such, their presence and behaviour often conflict with the desires of the human residents. Fouling, noise, aggression and health concerns are all cited as reasons that there are "". Lethal control is often used for population management; however, this raises questions about whether this is a sustainable strategy to resolve the conflict between humans and geese when, paradoxically, it is humans that are responsible for creating the habitat and often providing the food and protection of geese at other times. We hypothesise that the landscaping of suburban parks can be improved to decrease its attractiveness to geese and to reduce the opportunity for conflict between geese and humans.
METHODS
Using observations collected over five years from a botanic garden situated in suburban Belgium and data from the whole of Flanders in Belgium, we examined landscape features that attract geese. These included the presence of islands in lakes, the distance from water, barriers to level flight and the size of exploited areas. The birds studied were the tadornine goose (L. 1766) (Egyptian goose) and the anserine geese, (L. 1758) (Canada goose), (L. 1758) (greylag goose) and (Bechstein, 1803) (barnacle goose). Landscape modification is a known method for altering goose behaviour, but there is little information on the power of such methods with which to inform managers and planners.
RESULTS
Our results demonstrate that lakes with islands attract more than twice as many anserine geese than lakes without islands, but make little difference to Egyptian geese. Furthermore, flight barriers between grazing areas and lakes are an effective deterrent to geese using an area for feeding. Keeping grazing areas small and surrounded by trees reduces their attractiveness to geese.
CONCLUSION
The results suggest that landscape design can be used successfully to reduce the number of geese and their conflict with humans. However, this approach has its limitations and would require humans to compromise on what they expect from their landscaped parks, such as open vistas, lakes, islands and closely cropped lawns.
PubMed: 33024625
DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9846