Lysine: Is It Worth More?

Lysine, an essential cationic amino acid, has a positively charged R group. The structure of lysine is given as (H(3)N(+)-)CH(-COO(-))-CH(2)-CH(2)-CH(2)-CH(2)-N(+)H(3).While the anabolic role(s) of the molecule has been in focus for quite a few decades now, its biological properties, e.g. role in cellular proliferation in vitro (both anchorage dependent and anchorage independent) and in vivo, its ability to induce strong inflammatory and immune responses - both humoral and cell mediated, its role in augmented healing of all types of wounds in animal models as well as in human subjects (both acute and chronic), as well as its role in inducing extensive angiogenic responses, have never received reasonable attention so far. In the current brief and indicative review (rather than exhaustive reviews of each area), we intend to bring these biological properties of the molecule to focus while discussing a few other interesting aspects - lysine as a food preservative as well as its possible role(s) in immune therapy. While the areas look extremely divergent, we propose a common denominator in the form of a possible molecular mechanism of action of the molecule in all these diverse situations.