Author/Authors :
niknahad hossein نويسنده , Ommati Mohammad Mehdi نويسنده Center of Experimental & Comparative Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. , Heidari Reza نويسنده Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz Iran , Ghanbarinejad Vahid نويسنده Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz Iran , Jamshidzadeh Akram نويسنده Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz Iran
Abstract :
Carnosine is a dipeptide abundantly found in different tissues. Several pharmacological properties have been attributed to carnosine. On the other hand, the precise mechanism of cytoprotection provided by carnosine remains obscure. The current study aimed to evaluate the direct effect of different concentrations of carnosine on cellular mitochondria as an essential target involved in cytoprotection or cytotoxicity. Liver mitochondria were isolated and exposed to carnosine (0.01-20 mM). Mitochondrial depolarization, dehydrogenases activity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, mitochondrial swelling and permeability, and ATP content were assessed. On the other hand, the effect of carnosine supplementation on calcium (Ca2+) overload-induced mitochondrial injury was evaluated. It was found that concentrations between 0.01-20 mM of this peptide preserved mitochondrial indices of functionality in a Ca2+ overloaded environment. These data represent regulation of mitochondrial function as a primary mechanism for the protective properties of carnosine.
