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Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Synthesizing Amino Acids Modified with Reactive Carbonyls in Silico to Assess Structural Effects Using Molecular Dynamics Simulations
Published on: April 26, 2024
Effect of reactive-aldehydes on the modification and dysfunction of human serum albumin
Katsumi Mera1, Kazuhiro Takeo, Miyoko Izumi
1Department of Biopharmaceutics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.
Abstract:
Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are generated not only from glucose but also from several aldehydes such as methylglyoxal, glyoxal, and glycolaldehyde. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of several aldehydes on human serum albumin (HSA) in terms of the physicochemical properties and formation of AGE structures. HSA modified with methylglyoxal, generated by the glycolysis pathway and degradation of the Schiff base, showed the highest increase in the molecular weight and net negative charge, whereas glucose modification caused a small increase in the molecular weight even incubation for after 4 weeks. N(epsilon)-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML), N(epsilon)-(carboxyethyl)lysine (CEL), and imidazolone increased in modified HSA in correlation with their lysine and arginine modification, whereas high amounts of GA-pyridine was detected in HSA modified with glycolaldehyde. Furthermore, the binding ability of HSA to warfarin and ketoprofen was more effectively decreased by methylglyoxal modification than the other aldehydes. These results indicated that changes in the physicochemical properties and the formation of AGE structures are highly dependent on the aldehydes.
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