Carnosine, anserine and homocarnosine are natural compounds which are present in high concentrations (2-20 mM) in skeletal muscles and brain of many vertebrates. We have demonstrated in a previous work that these compounds can act as antioxidants, a result of their ability to scavenge peroxyl radicals, singlet oxygen and hydroxyl radicals. Carnosine and its analogues have been shown to be efficient chelating agents for copper and other transition metals. Since human skeletal muscle contains one-third of the total copper in the body (20-47 mmol/kg) and the concentration of carnosine in this tissue is relatively high, the complex of carnosine:copper may be of biological importance. We have studied the ability of the copper:carnosine (and other carnosine derivatives) complexes to act as superoxide dismutase. The results indicate that the complex of copper:carnosine can dismute superoxide radicals released by neutrophils treated with PMA in an analogous mechanism to other amino acids and copper complexes. Copper:anserine failed to dismute superoxide radicals and copper:homocarnosine complex was efficient when the cells were treated with PMA or with histone-opsonized streptococci and cytochalasine B. The possible role of these compounds to act as physiological antioxidants that possess superoxide dismutase activity is discussed.

Recent evidence indicates that under in vitro conditions, superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) are unstable in the presence of manganese ion (Mn2+). The current studies show that in the presence of Mn2+, H2O2-mediated injury of endothelial cells is greatly attenuated. A source of bicarbonate ion and amino acid is required for Mn2+ to exert its protective effects. Injury by phorbol ester-activated neutrophils is also attenuated under the same conditions. EDTA reverses the protective effects. Acute lung injury produced in vivo in rats by intratracheal instillation of glucose-glucose oxidase is almost completely blocked in rats treated with Mn2+ and glycine. Conversely, treatment of rats with EDTA, a chelator of Mn2+, markedly accentuates lung injury caused by glucose-glucose oxidase. These data are consistent with the findings of others that Mn2+ can facilitate direct oxidation of amino acids with concomitant H2O2 disproportionation. This could form the basis of a new therapeutic approach against oxygen radical-mediated tissue injury.