Urinary levels of the acrolein conjugates of carnosine are associated with inhaled toxicants.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

The inhalation of air-borne toxicants is associated with adverse health outcomes which can be somewhat mitigated by enhancing endogenous anti-oxidant capacity. Carnosine is a naturally occurring dipeptide (β-alanine-L-histidine), present in high abundance in skeletal and cardiac muscle. This multi-functional dipeptide has anti-oxidant properties, can buffer intracellular pH, chelate metals, and sequester aldehydes such as acrolein. Due to these chemical properties, carnosine may be protective against inhaled pollutants which can contain metals and aldehydes and can stimulate the generation of electrophiles in exposed tissues. Thus, assessment of carnosine levels, or levels of its acrolein conjugates (carnosine-propanal and carnosine-propanol) may inform on level of exposu

SUBMITTER: O'Toole TE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7875462 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov - Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature