Profiling Histidine Dipeptides in Plasma and Urine After Ingesting Beef, Chicken or Chicken Broth in Humans

Abstract

Reactive carbonyl species (RCS), oxidation products of polyunsaturated fatty acids, protein & sugars, play a role in the etiology of certain chronic diseases. Our previous studies revealed that histidine‐dipeptides such as carnosine and anserine detoxify cytotoxic carbonyls such as 4‐hydroxy‐trans‐2‐nonenal & acrolein by forming unreactive adducts. In the current study, pharmacokinetics of histidine‐dipeptides has been determined after ingesting histidine‐dipeptides rich foods. Healthy women (n=4) went through 3 phases of one dose of either 150g beef (B), 150g chicken (C), or chicken broth (CB) from 150g chicken with >2 wks of wash out period between each phase. Blood samples were collected 0‐300 min and urine samples before & after (up to 7 hrs) ingesting the food and analyzed for histidine dipeptides using LC‐ESI‐MS/MS. Only a negligible amount of carnosine was detected in plasma after ingesting B, C or CB. However, plasma anserine concentration was significantly increased (p<0.05) to 2.72 ± 1.08 μmol/L at 100 min and 0.78 ± 0.18 μmol/L at 60 min after ingesting C and CB, respectively. Urinary carnosine and anserine were increased 13.8 & 13.7 fold after ingesting B and 14.8 & 243 fold after CB ingestion, respectively. Thus, dietary histidine dipeptides, which are rapidly hydrolyzed by carnosinase in plasma & excreted in minor fraction in urine, may act as RCS sequestering agents. (Supported by USDA 58‐1950‐7‐707)