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Study · Animal study (in vivo) · mouse · 2021

7 results

Carnosine quenches the reactive carbonyl acrolein in the central nervous system and attenuates autoimmune neuroinflammation.

Spaas J, Franssen WMA, Keytsman C, Blancquaert L, Vanmierlo T, Bogie J, Broux B, Hellings N, van Horssen J, Posa DK, Hoetker D, Baba SP, Derave W, Eijnde BO

Journal of neuroinflammation5 Nov 2021Cited by 32 (Europe PMC)

PMID34740381 (opens in a new tab)PMCIDPMC8571880 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1186/s12974-021-02306-9 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-34740381
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Summary

BackgroundMultiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease driven by sustained inflammation in the central nervous system. One of the pathological hallmarks of MS is extensive free radical production. However, the subsequent generation, potential pathological role, and detoxification of different lipid peroxidation-derived reactive carbonyl species during neuroinflammation are unclear, as are the therapeutic benefits of carbonyl quenchers. Here, we investigated the reactive carbonyl acrolein and (the therapeutic effect of) acrolein quenching by carnosine during neuroinflammation.MethodsThe abundance and localization of acrolein was investigated in inflammatory lesions of MS patients and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mice. In addition, we analysed carnosine levels and acrolein quenching by endogenous and exogenous carnosine in EAE. Finally, the therapeutic effect of exogenous carnosine was assessed in vivo (EAE) and in vitro (primary mouse microglia, macrophages, astrocytes).ResultsAcrolein was substantially increased in inflammatory lesions of MS patients and EAE mice. Levels of the dipeptide carnosine (β-alanyl-L-histidine), an endogenous carbonyl quencher particularly reactive towards acrolein, and the carnosine-acrolein adduct (carnosine-propanal) were ~ twofold lower within EAE spinal cord tissue. Oral carnosine treatment augmented spinal cord carnosine levels (up to > tenfold), increased carnosine-acrolein quenching, reduced acrolein-protein adduct formation, suppressed inflammatory activity, and alleviated clinical disease severity in EAE. In vivo and in vitro studies indicate that pro-inflammatory microglia/macrophages generate acrolein, which can be efficiently quenched by increasing carnosine availability, resulting in suppressed inflammatory activity. Other properties of carnosine (antioxidant, nitric oxide scavenging) may also contribute to the therapeutic effects.ConclusionsOur results identify carbonyl (particularly acrolein) quenching by carnosine as a therapeutic strategy to counter inflammation and macromolecular damage in MS.
CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study7

7 results from studies that gave the peptide. No result from this study comes from people.

  1. 01AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome

    In EAE mice, oral carnosine increased spinal cord carnosine levels up to more than tenfold.

    In plain wordsIn mice with EAE, oral carnosine increased spinal cord carnosine levels.

    Peptide
    L-carnosine
    Outcome
    IncreaseSpinal cord carnosine levels
    Study

    mousen: not reported in source

    Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis
    Outcome group
    Pharmacokinetics · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · oralAs given in this study (mouse).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Oral carnosine treatment augmented spinal cord carnosine levels (up to > tenfold), increased carnosine-acrolein quenching, reduced acrolein-protein adduct formation, suppressed inflammatory activity, and alleviated clinical disease severity in EAE.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Finally, the therapeutic effect of exogenous carnosine was assessed in vivo (EAE) and in vitro (primary mouse microglia, macrophages, astrocytes).
  2. 02AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Mechanism

    In EAE mice, oral carnosine increased carnosine-acrolein quenching.

    In plain wordsIn mice with EAE, oral carnosine increased the neutralization of acrolein by carnosine.

    Peptide
    L-carnosine
    Outcome
    IncreaseCarnosine-acrolein quenching
    Study

    mousen: not reported in source

    Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis
    Outcome group
    Receptor activity and mechanism · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · oralAs given in this study (mouse).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Oral carnosine treatment augmented spinal cord carnosine levels (up to > tenfold), increased carnosine-acrolein quenching, reduced acrolein-protein adduct formation, suppressed inflammatory activity, and alleviated clinical disease severity in EAE.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Finally, the therapeutic effect of exogenous carnosine was assessed in vivo (EAE) and in vitro (primary mouse microglia, macrophages, astrocytes).
  3. 03AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome

    In EAE mice, oral carnosine reduced acrolein-protein adduct formation.

    In plain wordsIn mice with EAE, oral carnosine reduced the formation of acrolein-protein compounds.

    Peptide
    L-carnosine
    Outcome
    DecreaseAcrolein-protein adduct formation
    Study

    mousen: not reported in source

    Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis
    Outcome group
    Neuroprotection · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · oralAs given in this study (mouse).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Oral carnosine treatment augmented spinal cord carnosine levels (up to > tenfold), increased carnosine-acrolein quenching, reduced acrolein-protein adduct formation, suppressed inflammatory activity, and alleviated clinical disease severity in EAE.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Finally, the therapeutic effect of exogenous carnosine was assessed in vivo (EAE) and in vitro (primary mouse microglia, macrophages, astrocytes).
  4. 04AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome

    In EAE mice, oral carnosine suppressed inflammatory activity.

    In plain wordsIn mice with EAE, oral carnosine reduced inflammatory activity.

    Peptide
    L-carnosine
    Outcome
    DecreaseInflammatory activity
    Study

    mousen: not reported in source

    Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis
    Outcome group
    Inflammation markers · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · oralAs given in this study (mouse).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Oral carnosine treatment augmented spinal cord carnosine levels (up to > tenfold), increased carnosine-acrolein quenching, reduced acrolein-protein adduct formation, suppressed inflammatory activity, and alleviated clinical disease severity in EAE.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Finally, the therapeutic effect of exogenous carnosine was assessed in vivo (EAE) and in vitro (primary mouse microglia, macrophages, astrocytes).
  5. 05AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome

    In EAE mice, oral carnosine alleviated clinical disease severity.

    In plain wordsIn mice with EAE, oral carnosine reduced disease severity.

    Peptide
    L-carnosine
    Outcome
    DecreaseClinical disease severity
    Study

    mousen: not reported in source

    Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis
    Outcome group
    Neuroprotection · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · oralAs given in this study (mouse).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Oral carnosine treatment augmented spinal cord carnosine levels (up to > tenfold), increased carnosine-acrolein quenching, reduced acrolein-protein adduct formation, suppressed inflammatory activity, and alleviated clinical disease severity in EAE.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Finally, the therapeutic effect of exogenous carnosine was assessed in vivo (EAE) and in vitro (primary mouse microglia, macrophages, astrocytes).
  6. 06LabIn vitro (cells)Mechanism

    In mouse microglia/macrophage experiments, increasing carnosine availability enabled efficient acrolein quenching.

    In plain wordsIn cells from mice, increasing carnosine availability enabled efficient acrolein neutralization.

    Peptide
    L-carnosine
    Outcome
    IncreaseAcrolein quenching
    Study

    mousen: not reported in source

    Primary mouse microglia/macrophages
    Outcome group
    Receptor activity and mechanism · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Source sentences

    Summary
    In vivo and in vitro studies indicate that pro-inflammatory microglia/macrophages generate acrolein, which can be efficiently quenched by increasing carnosine availability, resulting in suppressed inflammatory activity.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Finally, the therapeutic effect of exogenous carnosine was assessed in vivo (EAE) and in vitro (primary mouse microglia, macrophages, astrocytes).
  7. 07LabIn vitro (cells)Efficacy outcome

    In mouse microglia/macrophage experiments, acrolein quenching through increased carnosine availability suppressed inflammatory activity.

    In plain wordsIn cells from mice, increased carnosine availability neutralized acrolein and reduced inflammatory activity.

    Peptide
    L-carnosine
    Outcome
    DecreaseInflammatory activity
    Study

    mousen: not reported in source

    Primary mouse microglia/macrophages
    Outcome group
    Inflammation markers · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Source sentences

    Summary
    In vivo and in vitro studies indicate that pro-inflammatory microglia/macrophages generate acrolein, which can be efficiently quenched by increasing carnosine availability, resulting in suppressed inflammatory activity.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Finally, the therapeutic effect of exogenous carnosine was assessed in vivo (EAE) and in vitro (primary mouse microglia, macrophages, astrocytes).

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

  1. Version 2Current

    27 Oct 2026, 18:20 UTC

    Study results updated

  2. Version 1

    27 Oct 2026, 16:32 UTC

    First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

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