Some months back there was a a flurry of interest on Carnosine and its
apparent effects on ageing. In June RATTAN at kemi.aau.dk wrote:
: Recently, two new discoveries have been published claiming certain
: anti-ageing effects on human cells in culture. This week in the journal
: EXPERIMENTAL CELL RESEARCH, VOL 212, PP 165, 1994; ROBIN HOLLIDAY
: (of Holliday junction fame) has published senescence-retarding effects
: of a dipeptide beta-alanyl-L-histidine, called carnosine, on human
: fibroblasts. Maintenance of young morphology along with some other
: cellular and biochemcial characterisitcs is the main effect seen. There is
: a slight increase in cell proliferation too. Even senescence characteristics
: can be reversed. Of course, at this stage nothing is known about the
: mode of action of such a dipeptide in bringing about so big changes
: in cellular physiology, ageing and lifespan.
I've been doing some further reading and certainly carnosine and other
dipeptides have interesting antioxidant, metal chelating and membrane
stabilizing properties. Can I ask the collective wisdom if anything is
known about the distribution of carnosine and related peptides in
reproductive tract tissues? I'm following this focus as ROS-induced lipid
peroxidation is a potent source of sperm dysfunction in infertile men, and
it would be fascinating if carnosine (or lack of) is involved.
Yours, virtually:-
Jim "Spermatology rules o~ o~ o~ o~" Cummins
Associate Professor in Veterinary Anatomy
Murdoch University,
Murdoch Western Australia 6150
Tel +61-9-360 2668
Fax +61-9-310 4144
E mail cummins at possum.murdoch.edu.au
"Ignorance is a renewable resource" PJ O'Rourke.
