| abstract |
The present invention relates to compositions and methods for inhibiting the aging of amino-containing amino acid, peptides, proteins and biomolecules. Accordingly, a composition is disclosed which comprises an agent or compound capable of reacting with the glycosyl-amino moiety of the early glycosylation product (also known as the Amadori product or the Heyns product) formed by the reaction of glucose, or other reactive sugars, with an amino-containing peptide, protein or biomolecule, thus stabilizing this early glycosylation product, and preventing its further reaction to form open-chain, carbonyl-containing advanced glycosylation end products. Suitable agents may contain a reactive aldehyde group. A preferred agent is acetaldehyde. The method comprises contacting the target biomolecule with the composition. The compounds so obtained are represented by formulae (VI) and (VIII) wherein R is the residue of an amino-containing biomolecule such as a peptide and CH2R' is the residue of the reactive aldhehyde group. Both industrial and therapeutic applications for the invention are envisioned, as food spoilage and animal protein aging can be treated. |