Biological role of carnosine metabolism in excitable tissues: speculations and facts (a commentary)

Abstract Carnosine-related compounds (CRCs) have been found to be formed from carnosine after its methylation, acetylation (at free β-amino group) or decarboxylation. Carnosine and CRCs serve as native biological buffers of protons, but their role is not restricted by this property. Transformation of CRCs during ontogeny of vertebrates as well as the antioxidant activity of different CRCs and their ability to quench active oxygen species were analyzed. It was found that antiradical properties and stabilization of several important biological structures were realized by different CRCs with different efficiencies. We suggest that tissue-specific enzyme-controlled metabolism of carnosine provides a distribution of CRCs in tissues which is in accordance with the nature of oxidizing processes taking place in these tissues.