Antenatal taurine supplementation increases taurine content in intrauterine growth restricted fetal rat brain tissue.

This study aimed to determine the influence of antenatal taurine supplementation on taurine content in the brains of fetal rats with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). Experiments were performed at the Central Laboratory of Bayi Children's Hospital Affiliated to Beijing Military General Hospital in China from January to June 2013. Fifteen pregnant rats were randomly divided into three groups: normal controls, an IUGR group and an IUGR + antenatal taurine supplement group (Taurine group) (n = 5). The IUGR model was induced using a low-protein diet throughout gestation. Rats in the taurine group were fed a diet supplemented with 300 mg/kg/day taurine for 12 days after conception until natural delivery. Two fetal rats were randomly selected in every litter, and taurine levels in the brains of rats were detected using high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Results showed that (1) the mean body weight of the fetal rats in the normal control, IUGR and IUGR + antenatal taurine supplement groups was 6.619 ± 0.4132, 4.509 ± 0.454, and 5.176 ± 0.436 g (F = 429.818, P < 0.01), respectively, and (2) that taurine levels in the brains of the fetal rats in the normal control, IUGR and taurine groups were (2.399 ± 0.134) × 10(5), (1.881 ± 0.166) × 10(5) and (2.170 ± 0.191) × 10(5) µg/g (F = 24.828, P < 0.01), respectively. Overall, our results indicated that taurine levels in IUGR fetal rat brains were lower than in the control animals, and that antenatal taurine supplementation could significantly increase taurine levels in the brains of fetal rats with IUGR.

Antenatal supplementation of taurine for protection of fetal rat brain with intrauterine growth restriction from injury by reducing neuronal apoptosis.

This study aimed to investigate whether antenatal taurine can reduce neuronal apoptosis in fetal rat brains with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and its possible mechanisms. A total of 15 pregnant rats were randomly divided into the following three groups: control, IUGR, and IUGR+ antenatal taurine supplements. Neuronal apoptosis was detected using transferase-mediated dUTP biotin nick end-labeling (TUNEL); the expression of Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase-3 mRNA and proteins was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. In IUGR groups, the results were as follows: (1) the expression of Bcl-2 decreased whereas the expression of Bax increased, accordingly, the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax decreased, (2) the expression of caspase-3 increased significantly, and (3) apoptotic neuron counts in IUGR groups was significantly increased compared with controls. In taurine supplement groups, the results were as follows: (1) the expression of Bcl-2 increased whereas the expression of Bax decreased, accordingly, the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax increased, (2) the expression of caspase-3 in fetal rat cerebral cortex tissues decreased significantly, and (3) the number of apoptotic neurons was significantly decreased compared with IUGR groups. In addition, the changes in the expression of Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase-3 mRNA and protein were correlated. So we concluded that antenatal supplementation of taurine may reduce neuronal apoptosis in IUGR fetal rats via up-regulating the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax and down-regulating the expression of caspase-3.