Pathways of the Maillard reaction under physiological conditions

• Published in: Glycoconjugate journal Vol. 33; no. 4; pp. 499 - 512
• Main Authors: Henning, Christian, Glomb, Marcus A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.08.2016; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Alzheimer Disease - metabolism; Amino acids; Animals; Atherosclerosis - metabolism; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Carbohydrates; Cataract - metabolism; Diabetes Mellitus - metabolism; Glycation End Products, Advanced - metabolism; Humans; Life Sciences; Maillard Reaction; Oxidative stress; Pathology; Review; Uremia - metabolism; Oxidative stress; Fragmentation pathways; β-Dicarbonyl cleavage; Amide-AGEs; Maillard reaction; Carbohydrate chemistry; Advanced glycation endproducts AGE
• ISSN: 0282-0080; 1573-4986; 1573-4986
• DOI: 10.1007/s10719-016-9694-y

Initially investigated as a color formation process in thermally treated foods, nowadays, the relevance of the Maillard reaction in vivo is generally accepted. Many chronic and age-related diseases such as diabetes, uremia, atherosclerosis, cataractogenesis and Alzheimer’s disease are associated with Maillard derived advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) and α-dicarbonyl compounds as their most important precursors in terms of reactivity and abundance. However, the situation in vivo is very challenging, because Maillard chemistry is paralleled by enzymatic reactions which can lead to both, increases and decreases in certain AGEs. In addition, mechanistic findings established under the harsh conditions of food processing might not be valid under physiological conditions. The present review critically discusses the relevant α-dicarbonyl compounds as central intermediates of AGE formation in vivo with a special focus on fragmentation pathways leading to formation of amide-AGEs.