Brain-transportable dipeptides across the blood-brain barrier in mice

Sci Rep. 2019 Apr 8;9(1):5769. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-42099-9.

Abstract

Apart from nutrients required for the brain, there has been no report that naturally occurring peptides can cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The aim of this study was to identify the BBB-transportable peptides using in situ mouse perfusion experiments. Based on the structural features of Gly-N-methylated Gly (Gly-Sar), a reported BBB-transportable compound, 18 dipeptides were synthesized, and were perfused in the mouse brain for two minutes. Among the synthesized dipeptides, Gly-Sar, Gly-Pro, and Tyr-Pro were transported across the BBB with Ki values of 7.60 ± 1.29, 3.49 ± 0.66, and 3.53 ± 0.74 µL/g·min, respectively, and accumulated in the mouse brain parenchyma. Additionally, using MALDI-MS/MS imaging analysis of Tyr-Pro-perfused brain, we provide evidence for Tyr-Pro accumulation in the hippocampus, hypothalamus, striatum, cerebral cortex, and cerebellum of mouse brain.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / metabolism*
  • Cerebellum / metabolism
  • Cerebral Cortex / metabolism
  • Dipeptides / chemistry
  • Dipeptides / pharmacokinetics*
  • Hippocampus / metabolism
  • Hypothalamus / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred ICR
  • Tissue Distribution

Substances

  • Dipeptides