Carnosine (beta-alanylhistidine) protects from the suppression of contact hypersensitivity by ultraviolet B (280-320 nm) radiation or by cis urocanic acid.

Carnosine is a naturally occurring histidine-containing dipeptide in mammalian tissues for which a physiological role has not been defined. It has antioxidant properties, but has also been shown to be related metabolically to histidine and histamine, and to have immunopotentiating properties in vivo. It is shown here that carnosine presented topically or in the diet, potentiated the contact hypersensitivity reaction in hairless mice. Carnosine also prevented the systemic suppression of this reaction following exposure of the dorsal skin to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. Furthermore, carnosine prevented the systemic suppression caused by a topically applied lotion containing cis urocanic acid, indicating that it may act in competition with this UVB photoproduct which is believed to initiate many of the suppressive effects of UVB radiation.