Dilated cardiomyopathy of possible dietary origin in a cat.

An 11-year-old spayed female domestic shorthaired cat was diagnosed with severe dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and congestive heart failure. The cat had been eating cat foods that were high in pulses (e.g. peas, lentils, chickpeas). Neither plasma nor whole blood taurine concentrations were deficient. Primary treatment included furosemide, pimobendan, and clopidogrel, and changing to diets that did not contain pulses (a taurine supplements was not administered). The cat's clinical signs improved, high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I concentrations decreased, and echocardiographic measurements stayed relatively stable for over one year after initiating cardiac medications and changing the diet. Ultimately, the cat was euthanized for worsening congestive heart failure 374 days after the diagnosis of DCM. Infectious disease testing during the time of clinical surveillance was negative. Routine histopathology of the heart was unremarkable, but electron microscopy of the left ventricle showed large numbers of mitochondria of variable size and structure. A moderate number of lamellar bodies and autophagic vacuoles also were noted. This case report illustrates an unusual case of a cat with DCM unrelated to taurine deficiency. The relative roles of diet change, cardiac medications, and a dedicated owner are unclear, but this cat's relatively long survival time is similar to that seen after diet change in dogs and cats with DCM eating high-pulse diets.

Combination of Taurine and Black Pepper Extract as a Treatment for Cardiovascular and Coronary Artery Diseases.

The shift in modern dietary regimens to "Western style" and sedentary lifestyles are believed to be partly responsible for the increase in the global burden of cardiovascular diseases. Natural products have been used throughout human history as treatments for a plethora of pathological conditions. Taurine and, more recently, black pepper have gained attention for their beneficial health effects while remaining non-toxic even when ingested in excess. Taurine, black pepper, and the major terpene constituents found in black pepper (i.e., ß-caryophyllene; α-pinene; ß-pinene; α-humulene; limonene; and sabinene) that are present in PhytoCann BP® have been shown to have cardioprotective effects based on anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, anti-hypertensive and anti-atherosclerotic mechanisms. This comprehensive review of the literature focuses on determining whether the combination of taurine and black pepper extract is an effective natural treatment for reducing cardiovascular diseases risk factors (i.e., hypertension and hyperhomocysteinemia) and for driving anti-inflammatory, antioxidative and anti-atherosclerotic mechanisms to combat coronary artery disease, heart failure, myocardial infarction, and atherosclerotic disease.

Interaction of exercise training with taurine attenuates infarct size and cardiac dysfunction via Akt-Foxo3a-Caspase-8 signaling pathway.

This research aimed to investigate the synergistic protective effect of exercise training and taurine on Akt-Foxo3a-Caspase-8 signaling related to infarct size and cardiac dysfunction. Therefore, 25 male Wistar rats with MI were divided into five groups: sham (Sh), control-MI(C-MI), exercise training-MI(Exe-MI), taurine supplementation-MI(Supp-MI), and exercise training + taurine-MI(Exe + Supp-MI). The taurine groups were given a 200 mg/kg/day dose of taurine by drinking water. Exercise training was conducted for 8 weeks (5 days/week), each session alternated 2 min with 25-30% VO2peak and 4 min with 55-60% VO2peak for 10 alternations. Then, the left ventricle tissue samples were taken from all groups. Exercise training and taurine activated Akt and decreased Foxo3a. Expression of the caspase-8 gene was increased in cardiac necrosis after MI, While, after 12 weeks of intervention decreased. Results exhibited that exercise training combined with taurine has a greater effect than either alone on activating the Akt-Foxo3a-caspase signaling pathway (P < 0.001). MI-induced myocardial injury leads to increase collagen deposition (P < 0.001) and infarct size and results in cardiac dysfunction via reduced stroke volume, ejection fraction, and fractional shortening (P < 0.001). Exercise training and taurine improved cardiac functional parameters (SV, EF, FS) and infarct size (P < 0.001) after 8 weeks of intervention in rats with MI. Also, the interaction of exercise training and taurine has a greater effect than alone on these variables. Interaction of exercise training with taurine supplementation induces a general amelioration of the cardiac histopathological profiles and improves cardiac remodeling via activating Akt-Foxo3a-Caspase-8 signaling with protective effects against MI.

[Therapeutics for Mitochondrial Encephalomyopathy].

In MELAS, taurine modification defect in the anticodon of mitochondrial leucine tRNA causes codon translation failure. An investigator-started clinical trials of high-dose taurine therapy, that showed its efficacy in preventing stroke-like episodes, and improving the taurine modification rate. The drug was found to be safe. Taurine has been approved as a drug covered by public insurance for prevention of stroke-like episodes since 2019. Recently, L-arginine hydrochloride has also been approved for off-label use as a treatment for both acute and intermittent stages of stroke-like episodes.

Dietary taurine supplementation counteracts deoxynivalenol-induced liver injury via alleviating oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, apoptosis, and inflammation in piglets.

Deoxynivalenol (DON), as a widespread Fusarium mycotoxin in cereals, food products, and animal feed, is detrimental to both human and animal health. The liver is not only the primary organ responsible for DON metabolism but also the principal organ affected by DON toxicity. Taurine is well known to display various physiological and pharmacological functions due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the information regarding taurine supplementation counteracting DON-induced liver injury in piglets is still unclear. In our work, twenty-four weaned piglets were subjected to four groups for a 24-day period, including the BD group (a basal diet), the DON group (3 mg/kg DON-contaminated diet), the DON+LT group (3 mg/kg DON-contaminated diet + 0.3% taurine), and the DON+HT group (3 mg/kg DON-contaminated diet + 0.6% taurine). Our findings indicated that taurine supplementation improved growth performance and alleviated DON-induced liver injury, as evidenced by the reduced pathological and serum biochemical changes (ALT, AST, ALP, and LDH), especially in the group with the 0.3% taurine. Taurine could counteract hepatic oxidative stress in piglets exposed to DON, as it reduced ROS, 8-OHdG, and MDA concentrations and improved the activity of antioxidant enzymes. Concurrently, taurine was observed to upregulate the expression of key factors involved in mitochondrial function and the Nrf2 signaling pathway. Furthermore, taurine treatment effectively attenuated DON-induced hepatocyte apoptosis, as verified through the decreased proportion of TUNEL-positive cells and regulation of the mitochondria-mediated apoptosis pathway. Finally, the administration of taurine was able to reduce liver inflammation due to DON, by inactivating the NF-κB signaling pathway and declining the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. In summary, our results implied that taurine effectively improved DON-induced liver injury. The underlying mechanism should be that taurine restored mitochondrial normal function and antagonized oxidative stress, thereby reducing apoptosis and inflammatory responses in the liver of weaned piglets.

Investigation of taurine and aqueous garlic extract diet supplementation effect on the healing of rat osteoporotic fractures.

BACKGROUND: We have evaluated the effects of taurine and aqueous garlic extract (AGE) as a dietary supplement on osteoporotic fracture (OPF) healing in the ovariectomized rat femur fracture model. METHODS: In this experimental animal study,twenty-four osteoporosis-remodeled female Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into 3 groups (n: 8) according to their supplemented diet; control, taurine, and AGE groups. Unilateral femur middiaphysis mini-open osteotomy was stabilized with Kirschner wires. Six weeks after osteotomy, the rats were sacrificed before the femurs were harvested and OPF healing was evaluated with biochemical, histologic, microcomputed-tomography, and scintigraphic methods. RESULTS: As an indicator of the antiosteoporotic effect, the calcium levels of the taurine group were significantly lower than the AGE and control groups in biochemical analyzes (p < 0.01). In histological studies, the new bone diameter and new bone volume values of the taurine group were significantly higher than the control group (p = 0.002 and p = 0.032, respectively), while higher trabecular-compact callus was observed in the taurine and AGE groups, respectively, compared to the control group. In morphological analyses, taurine and AGE groups had significantly higher bone volume/tissue volume, trabecular number, bone surface density, and lower trabecular separation than the control group (p < 0.05). The scintigraphic imaging showed a significant increase in osteoblastic activity of the taurine group compared to the control group (p = 0.005). DISCUSSION: Taurine and AGE have positive anabolic effects, respectively, on the healing of OPFs, demonstrated by biochemical, histological, morphological, and scintigraphic methods.

The role of taurine in male reproduction: Physiology, pathology and toxicology.

Taurine, a sulfur-containing amino acid, has a wide range of biological effects, such as bile salt formation, osmotic regulation, oxidative stress inhibition, immunomodulation and neuromodulation. Taurine has been proved to be synthesized and abundant in male reproductive organs. Recently, accumulating data showed that taurine has a potential protective effect on reproductive function of male animals. In physiology, taurine can promote the endocrine function of the hypothalamus-pituitary-testis (HPT) axis, testicular tissue development, spermatogenesis and maturation, delay the aging of testicular structure and function, maintain the homeostasis of the testicular environment, and enhance sexual ability. In pathology, taurine supplement may be beneficial to alleviate pathological damage of male reproductive system, including oxidative damage of sperm preservation in vitro, testicular reperfusion injury and diabetes -induced reproductive complications. In addition, taurine acts as a protective agent against toxic damage to the male reproductive system by exogenous substances (e.g., therapeutic drugs, environmental pollutants, radiation). Related mechanisms include reduced oxidative stress, increased antioxidant capacity, inhibited inflammation and apoptosis, restored the secretory activity of the HPT axis, reduced chromosomal variation, enhanced sperm mitochondrial energy metabolism, cell membrane stabilization effect, etc. Therefore, this article reviewed the protective effect of taurine on male reproductive function and its detailed mechanism, in order to provide reference for further research and clinical application.

The effect of taurine supplementation on delirium post liver transplantation: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Delirium is a prevalent complication of liver transplantation (LT). It may enhance the risk of morbidity and mortality. Taurine is considered to have antioxidant and neuroprotective activities. The aim of this study was to evaluate taurine supplementation effect on post-LT delirium. METHODS: Patients older than 18 years old who had received LT in Abu-Ali Sina transplantation center in Shiraz, Iran from September 2020 to June 2021, were enrolled in this double-blinded randomized clinical trial. Exclusion criteria was known hypersensitivity to taurine, pregnancy or breast-feeding and death within 72 h post-LT. Patients were randomly divided into two groups, each received 2 g/day placebo or taurine from the first day post-LT for 30 days. Delirium was assessed using Confusion Assessment Method-Intensive Care Unit (CAM-ICU). Mortality and rejection rates and length of Intensive Transplantation Unit (ITU) and hospital stays were evaluated within one month after transplantation. RESULTS: Two hundred and seven patients were divided into two groups. Twenty-eight and 23 patients were excluded due to their refuse to participate in the study and death within 72 h post-LT, respectively. Delirium rate within the first month was 23.08% and was significantly lower in taurine group (9.46%) compared with placebo (35.36%, P = 0.012). Length of ITU stay was significantly higher among delirious patients (P = 0.015) in this analysis. CONCLUSION: we reached to the result that taurine can prevent post-LT delirium, dramatically. Placebo receiving and longer stay in ITU were the only independent risk factors in this trial. REGISTRATION NUMBER OF CLINICAL TRIAL: The study was registered at the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT20200312046755N1; http://www.irct.ir/).

Exploring the Therapeutic Potential of Ectoine in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: Comparison with Taurine, a Supplement with Known Beneficial Effects in the mdx Mouse.

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is a debilitating muscle disorder that condemns patients to year-long dependency on glucocorticoids. Chronic glucocorticoid use elicits many unfavourable side-effects without offering satisfying clinical improvement, thus, the search for alternative treatments to alleviate muscle inflammation persists. Taurine, an osmolyte with anti-inflammatory effects, mitigated pathological features in the mdx mouse model for DMD but interfered with murine development. In this study, ectoine is evaluated as an alternative for taurine in vitro in CCL-136 cells and in vivo in the mdx mouse. Pre-treating CCL-136 cells with 0.1 mM taurine and 0.1 mM ectoine prior to exposure with 300 U/mL IFN-γ and 20 ng/mL IL-1ß partially attenuated cell death, whilst 100 mM taurine reduced MHC-I protein levels. In vivo, histopathological features of the tibialis anterior in mdx mice were mitigated by ectoine, but not by taurine. Osmolyte treatment significantly reduced mRNA levels of inflammatory disease biomarkers, respectively, CCL2 and SPP1 in ectoine-treated mdx mice, and CCL2, HSPA1A, TNF-α and IL-1ß in taurine-treated mdx mice. Functional performance was not improved by osmolyte treatment. Furthermore, ectoine-treated mdx mice exhibited reduced body weight. Our results confirmed beneficial effects of taurine in mdx mice and, for the first time, demonstrated similar and differential effects of ectoine.

Short-Communication: Short-Term Treatment with Taurine Prevents the Development of Cardiac Hypertrophy and Early Death in Hereditary Cardiomyopathy of the Hamster and Is Sex-Dependent.

Premature death due to heart failure is a major health problem. Taurine is a non-essential amino acid that has received much attention. However, although many studies have been carried out on the beneficial effects of taurine in cardiac pathophysiology, no studies have investigated the effect of taurine treatment on the development of hereditary cardiomyopathy (HCM) associated with hypertrophy, heart failure, and early death. This study aims to verify whether short-term treatment (20 days) with taurine in tap water prevents the development of hypertrophy and premature death in hereditary cardiomyopathy of the hamster (HCMH) of the line UM-X7.1 and if its effect is sex-dependent. Our results show that treatment for 20 days with taurine (250 mg/kg/day or 25 mg/animal/day) during the development of the hypertrophic phase (220 days old) significantly decreased (p < 0.01) the heart weight to body weight ratio in male HCMHs without affecting the female. During the 20 days (220−240 days old), there were nearly 40% premature deaths in non-treated males HCMHs and 50% in female HCMHs. Treatment for 20 days wholly and significantly prevented early death in both males and females HCMHs. Our results demonstrate that short-term treatment with taurine prevents the development of cardiac hypertrophy associated with HCM in a sex-dependent manner; however, it prevents early death in a sex-independent fashion. Our results suggest that taurine supplementation could be used to treat HCM.

The Disease-Modifying Role of Taurine and Its Therapeutic Potential in Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Taurine is an amino sulfonic acid that is implicated in numerous physiological functions, including the regulation of oxidative stress, which plays an important role in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), together with other pathophysiological processes. The recent finding of decreased serum taurine levels in SARS-CoV-2-infected patients, in tandem with its potential modulatory role in COVID-19 due to its antiviral, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and vascular-related effects, provides a rationale for considering taurine as a beneficial supplement in patients suffering from COVID-19. Here, we reviewed the potential disease-modifying effects of taurine and combined these with the current knowledge on COVID-19 to clarify the potential role of taurine in this respiratory disease.

Taurine Supplementation Inhibits the Expression of Atrogin-1 and MURF-1, Protein Degradation Marker Genes, in Skeletal Muscle of C26-Induced Cachexia Mouse Model.

This study was designed to investigate the therapeutic effects of taurine in attenuating muscle atrophy. C26 carcinoma cells were cultured and injected into the scapulae of Balb/c mice with 1 × 106 cells. Taurine (200 µl suspension) was orally administered at the concentration of 200 mg/kg of body weight for 2 weeks. Femur muscle tissue, spleen, and gonadal fat tissue were collected and weighed. Muscle tissue was stained by H&E for histopathological analysis. The transcriptional expression of atrogin-1 and MuRF-1 gene was checked by real-time PCR. C26 cells, which induced tumor growth, caused a loss in muscle mass and gonadal fat tissue mass. Simultaneously, there was an increase in spleen and tumor tissue mass. In contrast, taurine supplementation showed a downregulatory effect on the transcriptional expression profile of muscle degradative factors atrogin-1 and MuRF-1. Our findings suggest that taurine has the potential to inhibit muscle atrophy and can be developed as a safe treatment option against muscle loss in sarcopenia patients.

Taurine and Exercise: Synergistic Effects on Adipose Tissue Metabolism and Inflammatory Process in Obesity.

Taurine has been investigated as a possible strategy for the treatment of obesity. The benefits of taurine supplementation and the importance of adipose tissue to the whole-body energy metabolism are undeniable; however, the impact of the association of taurine and exercise on adipose tissue dynamics remains unclear, especially in the context of obesity. The present investigation sought to explore the effects of taurine supplementation associated with physical exercise as an excellent strategy for treating and preventing obesity. We highlighted the main studies that support the effects of taurine associated with exercise on the modulation of energy and lipid metabolism and also its impacts on the adipose tissue metabolism and morphology in obese individuals and obese animal models, suggesting taurine as a promising strategy to combat obesity. However, more investigations are necessary to elucidate the safe and effective dose, the mechanisms, and the potential effects of taurine supplementation associated with exercise in the adipose tissue as a therapeutic strategy for preventing and treating obesity.

Effects of Dietary Taurine-Containing Jelly Supplementation on Academic-Related Characteristics and Academic Achievement in Korean College Entrance Examinees: A Pilot Study.

Taurine is known to play roles in fatigue recovery and relief of anxiety and stress. This pilot study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary taurine-containing jelly supplementation on the academic-related characteristics of Korean college entrance examinees. The jelly contained 3 g of taurine in a packet and was provided to the subjects with one packet per day for 2 weeks. The academic-related characteristics of subjects were evaluated by academic-related attitude (using School Attitude Assessment Survey-R; SAAS-R), CEES (college entrance examination stress), and SRL (self-regulated learning) and academic achievement and were conducted using a self-administered questionnaire. The total number of subjects in this study was 17, and they were divided into taurine supplementation group (n = 9, TSG) and placebo group (n = 8, PG) by randomization. The results were compared before and after 2 weeks of dietary taurine-containing jelly supplementation for each group. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 25.0. The total score (p = 0.069) and motivation/self-regulation score (p = 0.060) in SAAS-R tended to be significantly higher in the TSG after 2 weeks of supplementation compared to before supplementation. The score change of academic achievement in TSG was positively correlated with a total score change of SRL. In addition, as a result of simple regression analysis, a total score changes of SRL had a positive effect on a change of academic achievement score in TSG (explanatory power: 42.9%). The results of this pilot study showed that dietary taurine-containing jelly supplementation may have some effects on academic-related characteristics with a positive change in SRL. Therefore, it may be beneficial to supplement dietary taurine-containing jelly to improve academic-related characteristics such as self-regulated learning of students preparing for the college entrance exam.

The Effects of Dietary Taurine-Containing Jelly Supplementation on Cognitive Function and Memory Ability of the Elderly with Subjective Cognitive Decline.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary taurine-containing jelly supplementation on cognitive function and memory ability of the elderly. The jelly used in the study contained 3 g of taurine and was reprocessed in the soft state like pudding considering the safe intake and preference and provided for 4 weeks. The cognitive function and memory ability of subjects were assessed by MMSE-DS (Mini-Mental State Examination-Dementia Screening), DST (Digit Span Test), K-BNT (Korean version-Boston Naming Test), and K-SVLT (Korean version-Seoul Verbal Learning Test) and were conducted in a face-to-face survey. The subjective memory of subjects was assessed by a self-recording method. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 26.0. The results were compared before and after 4 weeks of dietary taurine-containing jelly supplementation. The subjects were 26 elderly Koreans (8 male, 18 female) with subjective cognitive decline with an average age of 72.3 years. The total average score of MMSE-DS in all subjects increased from 25.9 points before dietary taurine-containing jelly supplementation to 26.4 points 4 weeks after supplementation, but there was no significant difference. The total average scores of DST-F, K-BNT, and K-SVLT were significantly higher 4 weeks after supplementation (65.7, 51.7, and 17.8 points) than before supplementation (60.6, 46.5, and 15.2 points) (p < 0.01). In particular, the score of DST-F showed significant difference only in the female elderly (p < 0.001). The score for subjective memory showed significant difference 4 weeks after supplementation (3.0 points) than before supplementation (2.6 points) (p < 0.05). Especially, it increased significantly only in the female elderly (p < 0.01). These results show that dietary taurine-containing jelly supplementation has positive effects on the memory ability of the elderly with subjective cognitive decline. Therefore, it is suggested to supplement products for the elderly, such as pudding or jelly, with dietary taurine to improve memory ability and cognitive function of the elderly.

Taurine Treatment Alleviates Intestinal Mucositis Induced by 5-Fluorouracil in Mice.

Taurine (Tau), a ß-amino acid, exists in red goji fruit (Lycium barbarum L.). It exerts many cellular physiological functions such as anti-inflammation and oxidation resistance. The chemotherapy drug 5-fluorouracil (5FU) can cause intestinal mucositis. However, current therapeutic approaches for mucositis have limited efficacy and are associated with various side effects. It is still unknown whether Tau can alleviate intestinal mucositis. This study aimed to investigate the protective effect of the Tau in a mucositis mouse model and elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. The intestinal mucositis symptoms were alleviated by the Tau administration as evidenced by decreased body weight loss, histopathological score, oxidative stress, and improved glutathione (GSH). The Tau supplementation strengthened intestinal epithelial tight junction and reduced serum lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels in intestinal mucositis mice. Moreover, the 5FU-induced inflammatory responses were alleviated by Tau treatment via the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2/heme oxygenase-1 (Nrf2/HO-1) and nuclear factor kappa-B/inducible nitric oxide synthase (NF-κB/iNOS) signaling pathway. Tau administration modulated short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the colon of mice. The results indicated that the Tau might be a new dietary strategy for intestinal mucositis caused by 5FU.

Comparative Study to Evaluate the Effect of Low-Protein Diet Supplementation with Taurine and N-Acetylcysteine, N-Acetylcysteine and Pyridoxamine Dihydrochloride in Preventing the Progression of Chronic Renal Failure in Patients with Non-Diabetic Kidney Disease.

Chronic Kidney Disease(CKD) has multifactorial etiology and there are lots of grey zone in understanding its complex pathophysiology. There is no silver bullet for optimal care of CKD. Oxidative stress being well understood and considered as an important common progressive factor for CKD of different etiology. Several research studies focused on reducing oxidative stress and have shown diverse outcomes. In this randomized, open-label, three arms, controlled, single center study we evaluated the role of N acetylcysteine which is a direct scavenger of free radical, in combination with taurine and pyridoxamine in retarding the progression of non-diabetic kidney disease. METHODS: 69 non-dialysis, non-diabetic patients diagnosed with chronic renal failure with GFR more than 15 ml/min/1.73m2 and less than 60ml/min/1.73m2 receiving standard of care were enrolled in the study, of which 22 were in the placebo arm, 23 treated with NT (500 mg Taurine + 150 mg NAC) arm and 24 in the NP (300mg NAC+ 50mg pyridoxamine di-hydrochloride) arm. The subjects in the treatment arm received the study drug twice a day along with low protein (0.6gm protein per Kg body weight) isocaloric diet with 25-30 Kcal/Kg/D and were evaluated monthly up to 6 months. Change in eGFR accorss 3 groups over 6 months were compared. RESULT: Mean age of the subjects was 57 ± 13 years of 56.25% were male and 43.75% were female. 69 patients completed the study. The Empirical Distribution Function (EDF) of NP group was dominant over control and NT group indicating a positive effect of NT on non-diabetic CKD at 10% level of significance. In the subgroup analysis a significant effect was observed in the cases of patients receiving NP with baseline eGFR more than 45 ml/min. The mean increase in eGFR readings over six months was 8.15 units higher in the NP group than in the control group. The two-sided p-values of the t-test, the Wilcoxon test and the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test were 0.0496, 0.0316 and 0.0354, respectively. Thus, all the three tests reject the hypothesis of identical changes in eGFR at the 5% level. In subjects with bicarbonate more than 22 mg/dl, the mean increase in eGFR over six months was 10.86 units higher in the NP group than in the control group indicating NP has a positive effect on increasing eGFR over 6 months, in patients without the presence of any metabolic acidosis. The two-sided p-vales of the t-test, the Wilcoxon test and the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test were 0.0325, 0.0205 and 0.1495, respectively. Thus, two of the three tests reject the hypothesis of identical changes in eGFR at the 5% level which clearly indicates that NP had better efficacy than other groups. CONCLUSION: N-acetyl cysteine along with pyridoxine may be a useful intervention along with a low protein diet in retarding progression of CKD in the nondiabetic population in early CKD.

A possible blood plasma biomarker for early-stage Alzheimer's disease.

We sought to identify a usable biomarker from blood samples to characterize early-stage Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, in order to facilitate rapid diagnosis, early therapeutic intervention, and monitoring of clinical trials. We compared metabolites from blood plasma in early-stage Alzheimer's disease patients with blood plasma from healthy controls using two different analytical platforms: Amino Acid Analyzer and Tandem Mass-Spectrometer. Early-stage Alzheimer's patient blood samples were obtained during an FDA-approved Phase IIa clinical trial (Clinicaltrial.gov NCT03062449). Participants included 25 early-stage Alzheimer's patients and 25 healthy controls in the United States. We measured concentrations of 2-aminoethyl dihydrogen phosphate and taurine in blood plasma samples. We found that plasma concentrations of a phospholipid metabolite, 2-aminoethyl dihydrogen phosphate, normalized by taurine concentrations, distinguish blood samples of patients with early-stage AD. This possible new Alzheimer's biomarker may supplement clinical diagnosis for early detection of the disease.

Mechanism of taurine reducing inflammation and organ injury in sepsis mice.

The fundamental basis for the pathogenesis of sepsis is an inflammatory imbalance, which is considered to be the main target for treatment. Taurine is an intracellular free amino acid that has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. To investigate the protective mechanism of taurine in sepsis, we used in vitro and in vivo experiments to explore the effects of taurine on neutrophil and monocyte immune function. Metabolomic analysis showed large amounts of taurine in neutrophils and monocytes and a dramatic decrease in taurine levels after LPS exposure. Taurine supplementation decreased the expressions of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) in LPS-challenged neutrophils and monocytes and reduced the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps by restricting reactive oxygen species. Moreover, taurine protected septic mice from death, improved tissue injuries in the lung, liver, and kidney by reducing neutrophil infiltration and TNF-α production. Our data indicate that a supplement with taurine might be a promising therapeutic strategy for sepsis to reduce hyper inflammation and improve multi-organ dysfunctions.

Taurine supplementation improves hippocampal metabolism in immature rats with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) through protecting neurons and reducing gliosis.

Taurine as an essential amino acid in the brain could play an important role in protecting the fetal brain of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). The hippocampus with IUGR showed neural metabolic disorder and structure changed that affected memory and learning ability. This study was aimed to identify the effect of taurine supplementation on the metabolism alterations and cellular composition changes of the hippocampus in IUGR immature rats. Metabolite concentrations were determined by magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in the hippocampus of juvenile rats with IUGR following taurine supplementation with antenatal or postnatal supply. The composition of neural cells in the hippocampus was observed by immunohistochemical staining (IHC) and western blotting (WB). Antenatal taurine supplementation increased the ratios of N-acetylaspartate (NAA) /creatine (Cr) and glutamate (Glu) /Cr of the hippocampus in the IUGR immature rats, but reduced the ratios of choline (Cho) /Cr and myoinositol (mI) /Cr. At the same time, the protein expression of NeuN in the IUGR rats was increased through intrauterine taurine supplementation, and the GFAP expression was reduced. Especially the effect of antenatal taurine was better than postpartum. Furthermore, there existed a positive correlation between the NAA/Cr ratio and the NeuN protein expression (R = 0.496 p < 0.001 IHC; R = 0.568 p < 0.001 WB), the same results existed in the relationship between the mI/Cr ratio and the GFAP protein expression (R = 0.338 p = 0.019 IHC; R = 0.440 p = 0.002 WB). Prenatal taurine supplementation can better improve hippocampal neuronal metabolism by increasing NAA / Cr ratio related to the number of neurons and reducing Cho / Cr ratio related to the number of glial cells.