Dose-dependent effects of taurine on convulsions induced by hypoxia in the rat

Protective effects of taurine against closed head injury in rats

Taurine, an abundant amino acid in the nervous system, is reported to reduce ischemic brain injury in a dose-dependent manner. This study was designed to investigate whether taurine protected the brain against closed head injury (CHI) in rats. Taurine was administered intravenously 30 min after CHI. It was found that taurine lessened body-weight loss and improved neurological functions at 7 days after CHI. Moreover, it lowered brain edema and blood-brain barrier permeability, enhanced activity of superoxide dismutase and the level of glutathione, and reduced levels of malondialdehyde and lactic acid in traumatic tissue 24 h after CHI. In addition, it attenuated neuronal cell death in hippocampal CA1 and CA3 subfields 7 days after CHI. All of these effects were dose dependent. These data demonstrated the dose-dependent protection of taurine against experimental CHI and suggest that taurine treatment might be beneficial in reducing trauma-induced oxidative damage to the brain, thus showing the potential for clinical implications.

Neuroprotective Mechanisms of Taurine against Ischemic Stroke

Ischemic stroke exhibits a multiplicity of pathophysiological mechanisms. To address the diverse pathophysiological mechanisms observed in ischemic stroke investigators seek to find therapeutic strategies that are multifaceted in their action by either investigating multipotential compounds or by using a combination of compounds. Taurine, an endogenous amino acid, exhibits a plethora of physiological functions. It exhibits antioxidative properties, stabilizes membrane, functions as an osmoregulator, modulates ionic movements, reduces the level of pro-inflammators, regulates intracellular calcium concentration; all of which contributes to its neuroprotective effect. Data are accumulating that show the neuroprotective mechanisms of taurine against stroke pathophysiology. In this review, we describe the neuroprotective mechanisms employed by taurine against ischemic stroke and its use in clinical trial for ischemic stroke.

A Combined Treatment with Taurine and Intra-arterial Thrombolysis in an Embolic Model of Stroke in Rats: Increased Neuroprotective Efficacy and Extended Therapeutic Time Window

Combination treatment may target different pathophysiological events following cerebral ischemia thus enhancing the efficacy of treatment in thromboembolic stroke. Taurine confers a neuroprotective effect in the mechanical stroke model. This effect has not been assessed in an embolic stroke model. Here, we sought to evaluate the neuroprotective effect of taurine alone and in combination with thrombolytic therapy to investigate whether combined administration would extend the therapeutic time window without increasing the hemorrhagic transformation in a rat embolic stroke model. Rats were subjected to right embolic middle cerebral artery occlusion and then randomly assigned to the following groups: saline treatment alone at 4 h, urokinase, taurine treatment alone at 4, 6, or 8 h, and the combination of taurine and urokinase at 4, 6, or 8 h after the insult. Brain infarct volume, neurobehavioral outcome, regional cerebral blood flow, intracranial hemorrhage incidence were observed and evaluated. Posttreatment with taurine at 4 or 6 h, urokinase at 4 h or in combination at 4, 6, or 8 h significantly reduced infarct volume and improved neurobehavioral outcome. The combination treatment had better neurobehavioral outcome and smaller infarction volume than urokinase or taurine treatment alone. The clinical outcome correlated well with infarct volume. Together, the present study suggests that administration of taurine after stroke is neuroprotective, seemingly because it reduces the reperfusion damage of urokinase, leading to widen the therapeutic window for the thrombolytic effect of urokinase to 8 h. Thrombolysis can also enhance the neuroprotective effect of taurine. The reduction of inflammatory response, neuron death and inhibition of blood brain barrier (BBB) disruption may underlie the beneficial effects of combination of taurine and urokinase in the treatment of embolic stroke.

Neuroprotective Mechanism of Taurine due to Up-regulating Calpastatin and Down-regulating Calpain and Caspase-3 during Focal Cerebral Ischemia

AIMS

Taurine as an endogenous substance possesses a number of cytoprotective properties. In the study, we have evaluated the neuroprotective effect of taurine and investigated whether taurine exerted neuroprotection through affecting calpain/calpastatin or caspase-3 actions during focal cerebral ischemia, since calpain and caspase-3 play central roles in ischemic neuronal death.

METHODS

Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to 2 h of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo), and 22 h of reperfusion. Taurine was administrated intravenously 1 h after MCAo. The dose-responses of taurine to MCAo were determined. Next, the effects of taurine on the activities of calpain, calpastatin and caspase-3, the levels of calpastatin, microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP-2) and alphaII-spectrin, and the apoptotic cell death in penumbra were evaluated.

RESULTS

Taurine reduced neurological deficits and decreased the infarct volume 24 h after MCAo in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment with 50 mg/kg of taurine significantly increased the calpastatin protein levels and activities, and markedly reduced the m-calpain and caspase-3 activities in penumbra 24 h after MCAo, however, it had no significant effect on mu-calpain activity. Moreover, taurine significantly increased the MAP-2 and alphaII-spectrin protein levels, and markedly reduced the ischemia-induced TUNEL staining positive score within penumbra 24 h after MCAo.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data demonstrate the dose-dependent neuroprotection of taurine against transient focal cerebral ischemia, and suggest that one of protective mechanisms of taurine against ischemia may be blocking the m-calpain and caspase-3-mediated apoptotic cell death pathways.

Taurine increases rat survival and reduces striatal damage caused by 3-nitropropionic acid

Taurine acts as an antioxidant protecting neurons from free radical-mediated cellular damage. 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP) inhibits energy metabolism, initiating oxidative stress. With the objective to examine whether taurine can protect glia and neurons from damage produced by 3-NP, male Wistar and Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with either (1) saline, (2) taurine (3) 3-NP and saline, or (4) 3-NP and taurine for 4 days. Survival was determined and brains were processed immunohistochemically. Large striatal lesions and increased GFAP, SOD, and taurine immunoreactivity were detected in the 3-NP group when compared with control groups. In contrast, animals receiving 3-NP and taurine exhibited less GFAP, SOD, and taurine immunoreactivity, along with increased survival rates. Results indicate that taurine treatment after 3-NP administration protects the striatum from damage.

The effects of taurine on hNT neurons transplanted in adult rat striatum

Taurine acts as an antioxidant able to protect neurons from free radical-mediated cellular damage. Moreover, it modulates the immune response of astrocytes that participate in neurodegenerative processes. The objective of this study was to examine whether taurine can prevent or attenuate the host inflammatory response induced by the xenotransplantation of neurons derived from the human teratocarcinoma cell line (hNT neurons). Male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated IP with either saline or taurine. Animals from both groups were perfused on the 4th or 11th day and the saline or taurine was administered from the start of the study until the day prior to sacrifice. The brains were processed immunohistochemically using antibodies against glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), microglia (OX42), and human nuclear matrix antigen (NuMA). In the saline group, NuMA labeling revealed small grafts on the 4th day and no surviving cells on the 11th day. However, in the group that received taurine there were surviving grafts at both time points. Strong immunoreactivity for GFAP and OX42 was detected in the saline group surrounding the transplant. These effects were reduced in animals receiving taurine. Taken together, these results demonstrated that taurine was able to facilitate graft survival and attenuate the immune response generated by the xenograft.