Methylglyoxal in food and living organisms

Methylglyoxal (MG) is a highly reactive alpha-oxoaldehyde formed endogenously in numerous enzymatic and nonenzymatic reactions. It modifies arginine and lysine residues in proteins forming advanced glycation end-products such as N(delta)-(5-methyl-4-imidazolon-2-yl)-L-ornithine (MG-H1), 2-amino-5-(2-amino-5-hydro-5-methyl-4-imidazolon-1-yl)pentanoic acid (MG-H2), 2-amino-5-(2-amino-4-hydro-4-methyl-5-imidazolon-1-yl)pentanoic acid (MG-H3), argpyrimidine, N(delta)-(4-carboxy-4,6-dimethyl-5,6-dihydroxy-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidine-2-yl)-L-ornithine (THP), N(epsilon)-(1-carboxyethyl)lysine (CEL), MG-derived lysine dimer (MOLD), and 2-ammonio-6-({2-[4-ammonio-5-oxido-5-oxopently)amino]-4-methyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-5-ylidene}amino)hexanoate (MODIC), which have been identified in vivo and are associated with complications of diabetes and some neurodegenerative diseases. In foodstuffs and beverages, MG is formed during processing, cooking, and prolonged storage. Fasting and metabolic disorders and/or defects in MG detoxification processes cause accumulation of this reactive dicarbonyl in vivo. In addition, the intake of low doses of MG over a prolonged period of time can cause degenerative changes in different tissues, and can also exert anticancer activity. MG in biological samples can be quantified by HPLC or GC methods with preliminary derivatization into more stable chromophores and/or fluorophores, or derivatives suitable for determination by MS by use of diamino derivatives of benzene and naphthalene, 6-hydroxy-2,4,5-triaminopyrimidine, cysteamine, and o-(2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzyl) hydroxylamine. The methods include three basic steps: deproteinization, incubation with derivatization agent, and chromatographic analysis with or without preliminary extraction of the formed products.