Therapeutic Potential of Carnosine and Its Derivatives in the Treatment of Human Diseases

Abstract

Despite significant progress in the pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, their occurrence and mortality are still high around the world. The resistance of cancer cells to the drugs remains a significant problem in oncology today, while in the case of neuro-degenerative diseases, therapies reversing the process are still yet to be found. Furthermore, it is important to seek new chemotherapeutics reversing side effects of currently used drugs or helping them perform their function to inhibit progression of the disease. Carnosine, a dipeptide constisting of β-alanine and l-histidine, has a variety of functions to mention: antioxidant, antiglycation, and reducing the toxicity of metal ions. It has therefore been proposed to act as a therapeutic agent for many pathological states. The aim of this paper was to find if carnosine and its derivatives can be helpful in treating various diseases. Literature search presented in this review includes review and original papers found in SciFinder, PubMed, and Google Scholar. Searches were based on substantial keywords concerning therapeutic usage of carnosine and its derivatives in several diseases including neurodegenerative disorders and cancer. In this paper, we review articles and find that carnosine and its derivatives are potential therapeutic agents in many diseases including cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, and schizophrenia. Carnosine and its derivatives can be used in treating neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, diabetes, or schizophrenia, although their usage is limited. Therefore, there’s an urge to synthesize and analyze new substances, overcoming the limitation of carnosine itself.

Novel Relationship Between Plasmalogen Lipid Signatures and Carnosine in Humans

“…[6] Lower concentrations of carnosine are also found in other tissues and cells such as the brain, stomach, and erythrocytes. [7] Male gender, younger age, and meat consumption are associated with higher muscular concentrations of carnosine in humans. [8] In addition to previously known benefits of carnosine for muscle function, more recent animal studies have shown that carnosine reduces obesity and improves glucose metabolism, chronic lowgrade inflammation, lipid levels and peroxidation, atherosclerotic plaque instability, blood pressure, insulin resistance, and insulin secretion, along with increasing 𝛽-cell mass.…”

Deorphaning a solute carrier 22 family member, SLC22A15, through functional genomic studies

“…According to single RNAseq data, SLC22A15 is highly expressed in oligodendrocytes compared with neurons, astrocytes, microglia, and endothelial cells 68 (see http://www.brainrnaseq.org/, https://cells.ucsc.edu/?ds=autism%26gene=SLC22A15, https://cells.ucsc.edu/?ds=allen-celltypes%252Fhuman-cortex%26gene=SLC22A15), whereas SLC15A2, another carnosine transporter, is specifically expressed in astrocytes and microglia 68 . Beneficial effects of carnosine in neurological diseases and autism have been noted, 69 and interestingly, genetic polymorphisms in SLC22A15 locus are associated with autism (see https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.12478916). In addition to carnosine's effects in the brain, the dipeptide also has effects in cancer reducing tumor growth 16 and cell proliferation 70‐74 .…”

COVID-19 and Senotherapeutics: Any Role for the Naturally-occurring Dipeptide Carnosine?

“…Carnosine has previously been described as enigmatic [57], and the dipeptide has been shown to exert a variety of effects at biochemical and physiological levels resulting in a large number of possible biological functions [58]. Indeed, as aging is multifactorial, any putative anti-aging agent might be expected to be pluripotent in its actions [59].…”