Scientists in Osaka have found that 2-oxo-imidazole-containing dipeptides (2-oxo-IDPs) exhibit very high antioxidant activity, which has been reported to be effective in relieving fatigue and preventing dementia.
The researchers established a method to selectively and sensitively detect very small amounts of 2-oxo-IDPs and revealed for the first time that several types of 2-oxo-IDPs are contained in meat, including beef, pork, and chicken.
Imidazole dipeptides (IDPs), which are abundant in meat and fish, are substances produced in the bodies of various animals, including humans. However, the physiological mechanism by which IDPs exhibit these activities had not been determined previously.
A research team led by Professor Hideshi Ihara from the Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School of Science, was the first to discover 2-oxo-imidazole-containing dipeptides (2-oxo-IDPs), which have one more oxygen atom than normal IDPs.
The research team found that 2-oxo-IDPs are the most common variety of IDPs derivatives in the body, and that they have remarkably high antioxidant activity, reported to be effective in relieving fatigue and dementia.
In their study, the researchers established a method for selective and highly sensitive detection of five types of 2-oxo-IDPs using mass spectrometry, which enables quantitative detection of trace 2-oxo-IDPs in living organisms.
Using this method, the researchers revealed for the first time that beef, pork, chicken, and other meats contain antioxidants, not only IDPs but a variety of different 2-oxo-IDPs. Their findings were published in Antioxidants.
“We hope that this research method, which enables advanced analysis of 2-oxo-IDPs, will be applied not only to basic biology but also to medicine, agriculture, and pharmacy, where it will help improve peoples’ health and prevent diseases,” concluded Professor Ihara.
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REFERENCE:
Somei Komae, Shingo Kasamatsu, Koji Uchida, Hideshi Ihara. Quantitative Determination of 2-Oxo-Imidazole-Containing Dipeptides by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography/Tandem Mass Spectrometry. Antioxidants, 2022; 11 (12): 2401 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11122401
