10.1016/j.bmc.2009.02.018
The research focuses on the development and evaluation of N-Terminal 2,3-diaminopropionic acid (Dap) peptides as efficient methylglyoxal (MG) scavengers to inhibit advanced glycation endproduct (AGE) formation. The purpose of this study was to address the issue of non-enzymatic glycation of proteins, which leads to the formation of AGEs that are associated with various age-related diseases and complications, including diabetes. The researchers synthesized N-terminal Dap peptides and assessed their ability to prevent protein modifications by MG, a highly reactive α-dicarbonyl compound. The peptides demonstrated a high scavenging potency, as evaluated through various assays including RP-HPLC, SDS–PAGE, and cell viability studies, and were compared to known AGE inhibitors such as aminoguanidine, pyridoxamine, metformin, and carnosine. The study concluded that N-terminal Dap containing dipeptides effectively inhibit the formation of AGEs and may provide a therapeutic potential for decelerating and treating AGE-related diseases. Chemicals used in the process included Dap and various amino acids to synthesize the peptides, as well as MG and other α-dicarbonyl compounds for the assessment of scavenging activity.