Could dietary proteins serve as cyclo(His-Pro) precursors?

Cyclic dipeptides or diketopiperazines are readily generated during in vitro hydrolysis of proteins and polypeptides. This led us to examine whether cyclo(His-Pro) (CHP), a diketopiperazine containing histidine and proline, could be formed in vivo from dietary proteins. The data presented here show that at least in rat, neither urinary nor plasma concentration of CHP is elevated by consumption of a diet rich in proteins. Several dietary supplements derived from casein and/or soy protein hydrolysates, however, contain high levels of CHP-LI. Oral intake of one such supplement led to a sharp increase in the plasma level of CHP-LI.