Inhibition of the growth of transformed and neoplastic cells by the dipeptide carnosine
Laboratory studyOther animals
- Design
- Laboratory study
- Dose used in the study
- Physiological concentrations in culture; 20 mM in the mixed-culture experiment
- What was measured
- Growth of normal human fibroblasts and of seven human and two rodent transformed or neoplastic cell lines in MEM or DMEM containing carnosine, with and without pyruvate, oxaloacetate, alpha-ketoglutarate, alanine or glutamate.
What the authors reported
Carnosine at physiological concentrations was cytotoxic to all transformed and neoplastic lines tested in MEM but not in DMEM, a difference traced to 1 mM pyruvate in DMEM; oxaloacetate and alpha-ketoglutarate could substitute for pyruvate. Anserine acted like carnosine while D-carnosine and homocarnosine had no effect. In mixed cultures, 20 mM carnosine selectively eliminated HeLa cells while MRC-5 fibroblasts survived. The authors propose that carnosine depletes glycolytic intermediates on which tumour cells depend.
Limits of this study
Cell culture; effect abolished by pyruvate, which is present in vivo. Abstract only.
Source
PubMed 8611433 · doi:10.1038/bjc.1996.189
Entry checked against PubMed abstract (E-utilities) on 2026-10-19. The dose shown is the dose the researchers used. It is not a recommendation. How to read this page.