Effect of taurine on leucocyte function

Effects of Taurine on Gut Microbiota Homeostasis: An Evaluation Based on Two Models of Gut Dysbiosis

Taurine, an abundant free amino acid, plays multiple roles in the body, including bile acid conjugation, osmoregulation, oxidative stress, and inflammation prevention. Although the relationship between taurine and the gut has been briefly described, the effects of taurine on the reconstitution of intestinal flora homeostasis under conditions of gut dysbiosis and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study examined the effects of taurine on the intestinal flora and homeostasis of healthy mice and mice with dysbiosis caused by antibiotic treatment and pathogenic bacterial infections. The results showed that taurine supplementation could significantly regulate intestinal microflora, alter fecal bile acid composition, reverse the decrease in Lactobacillus abundance, boost intestinal immunity in response to antibiotic exposure, resist colonization by Citrobacter rodentium, and enhance the diversity of flora during infection. Our results indicate that taurine has the potential to shape the gut microbiota of mice and positively affect the restoration of intestinal homeostasis. Thus, taurine can be utilized as a targeted regulator to re-establish a normal microenvironment and to treat or prevent gut dysbiosis.

Dihydroartemisinin regulates immune cell heterogeneity by triggering a cascade reaction of CDK and MAPK phosphorylation

Artemisinin (ART) and dihydroartemisinin (DHA), apart from their profound anti-malaria effect, can also beneficially modulate the host immune system; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we report that DHA selectively induced T-cell activation, with an increased proportion of Ki67⁺CD4⁺ T cells, CD25⁺CD4⁺ T cells, interferon (IFN)-γ-producing CD8⁺ T cells, Brdu⁺ CD8⁺ T cells and neutrophils, which was found to enhance cellular immunity to experimental malaria and overcome immunosuppression in mice. We further revealed that DHA upregulated the expression of cell proliferation-associated proteins by promoting the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), and activator protein 1 in the spleen. This study is the first to provide robust evidence that DHA selectively induced the expansion of subsets of splenic T cells through phosphorylated CDKs and MAPK to enhance cellular immune responses under non-pathological or pathological conditions. The data significantly deepened our knowledge in the mechanism underlying DHA-mediated immunomodulation.

Modulation of Fecal Metabolites by Heat Stress and Diet, and Their Association with Inflammation and Leaky Gut Markers in Dairy Cows

The analysis of fecal metabolite profiles could provide novel insights into the mechanisms underlying animal responses to environmental stressors and diet. We aimed to evaluate the effects of a 14-day heat stress period and of dietary mineral and vitamin supplementation under heat stress on fecal metabolite profiles and to investigate their associations with physiological markers of heat stress, leaky gut, and inflammation in lactating dairy cows. Twelve multiparous Holstein cows (42.2 ± 5.6 kg milk/d; 83.4 ± 27.1 DIM) were enrolled in an experiment in a split-plot design. The main plot was the level of dietary vitamin E and Se, as follows: (1) low (L-ESe; 20 IU/kg vitamin E, 0.3 ppm Se) or (2) high (H-ESe 200 IU/kg vitamin E, 1.2 ppm Se). Within each plot, six cows were randomly assigned to either (1) heat stress (HS; Total Humidity Index (THI): 82), (2) pair-feeding in thermoneutrality (TNPF; THI = 64), or (3) HS with vitamin D₃ and Ca supplementation (HS+DCa; 1820 IU/kg and 1.5% Ca; THI: 82) in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design with 14-day periods and 7-day washouts. The concentrations of 94 metabolites were determined in fecal samples, including amino acids, fatty acids, biogenic amines, and vitamins. Relative to the L-ESe group, the H-ESe group increased α-tocopherol by threefold, whereas δ-tocopherol was decreased by 78% (P_FDR < 0.01). Nevertheless, correlation analysis between α-tocopherol and all the others fecal metabolites or physiological heat stress measures did not show significant associations. No interactions between main plot and treatments were observed. Relative to TNPF, HS increased plasma tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), plasma lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP), milk somatic cell counts (SCC), respiratory rates, rectal temperatures, fecal tridecylic and myristic acids, vitamin B₇, and retinol, whereas it decreased fecal amino acids such as histidine, methyl histidine, acetyl ornithine, and arginine (P_FDR < 0.05). In contrast, HS+DCa increased fecal methyl histidine concentrations and reduced milk SCC, plasma TNF-α, and LBP, as well as rectal temperatures. Discriminant analysis revealed fecal histidine, taurine, acetyl ornithine, arginine, β-alanine, ornithine, butyric + iso-butyric acid, plasma non-esterified fatty acids, TNF-α, LBP, C-reactive protein, and milk SCC were predictive of HS. Several metabolites were predictive of HS+DCa, although only tryptophan was discriminant relative to HS. In conclusion, both heat stress and the supplementation of vitamin D₃ and Ca can influence the fecal metabolome of dairy cows experiencing heat stress, independently of dietary levels of vitamin E and Se. Our results suggest that some fecal metabolites are well associated with physiological measures of heat stress and may thus provide insights into the gut-level changes taking place under heat stress in dairy cows.

Investigating the genetic architecture of disease resilience in pigs by genome-wide association studies of complete blood count traits collected from a natural disease challenge model

Background

Genetic improvement for disease resilience is anticipated to be a practical method to improve efficiency and profitability of the pig industry, as resilient pigs maintain a relatively undepressed level of performance in the face of infection. However, multiple biological functions are known to be involved in disease resilience and this complexity means that the genetic architecture of disease resilience remains largely unknown. Here, we conducted genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of 465,910 autosomal SNPs for complete blood count (CBC) traits that are important in an animal’s disease response. The aim was to identify the genetic control of disease resilience.

Results

Univariate and multivariate single-step GWAS were performed on 15 CBC traits measured from the blood samples of 2743 crossbred (Landrace × Yorkshire) barrows drawn at 2-weeks before, and at 2 and 6-weeks after exposure to a polymicrobial infectious challenge. Overall, at a genome-wise false discovery rate of 0.05, five genomic regions located on Sus scrofa chromosome (SSC) 2, SSC4, SSC9, SSC10, and SSC12, were significantly associated with white blood cell traits in response to the polymicrobial challenge, and nine genomic regions on multiple chromosomes (SSC1, SSC4, SSC5, SSC6, SSC8, SSC9, SSC11, SSC12, SSC17) were significantly associated with red blood cell and platelet traits collected before and after exposure to the challenge. By functional enrichment analyses using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) and literature review of previous CBC studies, candidate genes located nearby significant single-nucleotide polymorphisms were found to be involved in immune response, hematopoiesis, red blood cell morphology, and platelet aggregation.

Conclusions

This study helps to improve our understanding of the genetic basis of CBC traits collected before and after exposure to a polymicrobial infectious challenge and provides a step forward to improve disease resilience.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-021-07835-4.

Metabolic profile of irradiated whole blood by chemical isotope-labeling liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

Irradiated blood is a new type of blood product used to prevent transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease. However, the effects of irradiation on the metabolism of plasma, red blood cells (RBCs), and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are largely unknown. We developed a workflow for testing metabolic changes in whole blood to determine the impact of irradiation by chemical isotope labeling liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (CIL LC-MS). Blood parameters, PBMC proliferation and apoptosis were examined before and after irradiation. Next, the amine/phenol metabolites in the blood components were assayed by ¹²C- and¹³C-dansylation labeling LC-MS. We identified 1654, 1730, and 1666 peak pairs in plasma, RBCs, and PBMCs, respectively. We screened out 367, 177, and 219 significant metabolites in plasma, RBCs, and PBMCs, respectively, by principle component analyses, volcano plots, and Venn plots. Metabolic pathway analyses showed that irradiation modulated taurine and hypotaurine metabolism in plasma and purine metabolism in RBCs and PBMCs. Changes in potential biomarkers, including an increase in hypoxanthine level and a decrease in adenine level, may be related to the dysfunction of DNA synthesis in PBMCs. The decreased AMP level in RBCs may interfere with RBC storage lesions. Our research provides a more comprehensive perspective on blood metabolism associated with irradiation.

Biomarker identification and pathway analysis of rheumatoid arthritis based on metabolomics in combination with ingenuity pathway analysis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common autoimmune and inflammatory disease worldwide, but understanding its pathogenesis is still limited. In this study, plasma untargeted metabolomics of a discovery cohort and targeted analysis of a verification cohort were performed by gas chromatograph mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Univariate and multivariate statistical analysis were utilized to reveal differential metabolites, followed by the construction of biomarker panel through random forest (RF) algorithm. The pathways involved in RA were enriched by differential metabolites using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) suite. Untargeted metabolomics revealed eighteen significantly altered metabolites in RA. Among these metabolites, a three-metabolite marker panel consisting of L-cysteine, citric acid and L-glutamine was constructed, using random forest algorithm that could predict RA with high accuracy, sensitivity and specificity based on a multivariate exploratory receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The panel was further validated by support vector machine (SVM) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) algorithms, and also verified with targeted metabolomics using a verification cohort. Additionally, the dysregulated taurine biosynthesis pathway in RA was revealed by an integrated analysis of metabolomics and transcriptomics. Our findings in this study not only provided a mechanism underlying RA pathogenesis, but also offered alternative therapeutic targets for RA.

The Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Taurine on Cardiovascular Disease

Taurine is a non-protein amino acid that is expressed in the majority of animal tissues. With its unique sulfonic acid makeup, taurine influences cellular functions, including osmoregulation, antioxidation, ion movement modulation, and conjugation of bile acids. Taurine exerts anti-inflammatory effects that improve diabetes and has shown benefits to the cardiovascular system, possibly by inhibition of the renin angiotensin system. The beneficial effects of taurine are reviewed.

Role of taurine, its haloamines and its lncRNA TUG1 in both inflammation and cancer progression. On the road to therapeutics? (Review)

For one century, taurine is considered as an end product of sulfur metabolism. In this review, we discuss the beneficial effect of taurine, its haloamines and taurine upregulated gene 1 (TUG1) long non‑coding RNA (lncRNA) in both cancer and inflammation. We outline how taurine or its haloamines (N‑Bromotaurine or N‑Chlorotaurine) can induce robust and efficient responses against inflammatory diseases, providing insight into their molecular mechanisms. We also provide information about the use of taurine as a therapeutic approach to cancer. Taurine can be combined with other chemotherapeutic drugs, not only mediating durable responses in various malignancies, but also circumventing the limitations met from chemotherapeutic drugs, thus improving the therapeutic outcome. Interestingly, the lncRNA TUG1 is regarded as a promising therapeutic approach, which can overcome acquired resistance of cancer cells to selected strategies. In this regard, we can translate basic knowledge about taurine and its TUG1 lncRNA into potential therapeutic options directed against specific oncogenic signaling targets, thereby bridging the gap between bench and bedside.

Sorafenib- Taurine Combination Model for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells: Immunological Aspects

Sorafenib (Sor) is a multi-kinase inhibitor. It is recommended for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, Sor has severe and marked side effects. On the other hand, taurine (Tau) has been shown to enhance the therapeutic effects of cancer chemotherapy and also to enhance the function of leukocytes.

Here, we aimed to investigate the enhancing efficacy of Sor as well as minimizing its marked side effects by using Tau in combination in an immunological aspect. We evaluated the influence of Sor and Tau combination on the expression pattern of FOXP3 gene in HepG2 cells compared to peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes (PBMCs) as control normal cells. Also, the levels of TGF-β and IL-10 released in culture media of both cells were determined. Our results revealed that, Tau reduced cytotoxicity of Sor on PBMC indicated by lactic dehyrogenase (LDH) release assay. In addition, Sor-Tau combination led to FOXP3 down-regulation in hepatic cancer cells (HepG2). The results showed also that, TGF-β levels decreased significantly in their culture media. In contrary, the cytokine increased in PBMCs culture media. Moreover, IL-10 was significantly elevated in the culture media of both cells. This study could open new avenues for the improvement of therapeutic efficacy of Sorafenib treated HCC patients by using Tau in combination.

Neutrophils as Sentinel Cells of the Immune System: A Role of the MPO-halide-system in Innate and Adaptive Immunity

For decades, neutrophils were generally regarded as the cells of innate immunity with proinflammatory and phagocytic properties involved in a dual activity, beneficial (antimicrobial) and detrimental (tissue damage). Importantly, until the discovery of toll-like receptors (TLRs), a role of neutrophils in adaptive immunity was limited to the effector stage of humoral response and phagocytosis of opsonized antigens. Moreover, in common opinion, neutrophils, as well as the entire innate immune system, were not functionally associated with adaptive immunity. At the time we demonstrated protein chlorination by HOCl, the major product of neutrophil MPO-halide system enhances protein immunogenicity. Based on this discovery, we proposed, as the first, a new role for neutrophils as APC-accessory cells involved in the induction stage of adaptive immunity. Thereafter, we developed our theory concerning the role of neutrophils as the cells which link innate and adaptive immunity. We proposed that protein modification by HOCl may act as a neutrophildependent molecular tagging system, by which sentinel dendritic cells can faster recognise pathogen- derived antigens. Contemporaneously, it was demonstrated that taurine, the most abundant free amino acid in neutrophil cytosol and the major scavenger of HOCl, is a part of the oxidantantioxidant network and is responsible for the regulation and termination of acute inflammation. Moreover, it has been described, that taurine chloramine (TauCl), the physiological products of the reaction of HOCl with taurine, show anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties. In this review, the role of HOCl, taurine and TauCl in innate and adaptive immunity will be discussed.

Taurine modulates hepatic oxidative status and gut inflammatory markers of European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) fed plant feedstuffs-based diets

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of taurine (tau) supplementation to low fishmeal (FM) diets on growth performance, oxidative status, and immune response of European seabass juveniles. Four isoproteic (46% crude protein) and isolipidic (19% crude lipid) diets were formulated to contain either 25 or 12.5% FM and a mixture of plant feedstuffs, supplemented or not with 1% tau. Twelve groups of 20 fish (IBW = 9.4 g) were fed each diet for 9 weeks. Reduction of dietary FM from 25 to 12.5% impaired growth performance, feed efficiency, and protein efficiency ratio but had no effect on nitrogen retention (% N intake). Independently of FM level, dietary tau supplementation improved growth performance and nitrogen retention without affecting feed efficiency. Dietary FM level reduction increased liver G6PDH activity, but did not affect lipid peroxidation or activities of redox key enzymes. Contrarily, dietary tau supplementation decreased hepatic G6PDH and GPX activities and lipid peroxidation. Gene expression COX-2 was not affected either by FM or tau levels but TNF-α increased with the reduction of FM level but not with the tau level. Dietary tau supplementation decreased Casp3 and Casp9 expression regardless of dietary FM level. Overall, this study evidenced that dietary tau supplementation improved growth performance and antioxidant response and reduced intestine inflammatory and apoptosis processes.

A combined treatment of curcumin, piperine, and taurine alters the circulating levels of IL-10 and miR-21 in hepatocellular carcinoma patients: a pilot study

Background

Investigating and evaluating possible alternative therapeutic strategies to control hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a critical need because of its high prevalence and being one of the most lethal cancers. Curcumin and taurine showed potent anti-tumor activities in pre-clinical and clinical studies by targeting multiple pathways. Thus, this study was designed to assess the effect of a combined treatment consisted of curcumin, piperine, and taurine on circulating levels of interleukin-10 (IL-10), and microRNAs miR-141 and miR-21.

Methods

Twenty eligible HCC patients administrated an oral dose of 4 g curcumin, 40 mg piperine, and 500 mg taurine daily for three successive treatment cycles, each was a 30-day. The level of IL-10 along with the expression levels of miR-141, and miR-21 were monitored in serum before starting the treatment and after each cycle. Patients were followed-up for a period of 24 months.

Results

The combined treatment was able to produce a significant decrease in the levels of serum IL-10, and miR-21 while it resulted in a non-significant up-regulation of serum miR-141 expression level. At the end of the follow-up period, the median overall survival (OS) rate was found to be 17.00 months with a worse OS in patients with high baseline levels of circulating IL-10 and miR-21 compared to those with low levels. In contrast, a low baseline level of circulating miR-141 was associated with poor prognosis.

Conclusions

The combined treatment may be able to increase the OS rate by altering the circulating level of IL-10 and miR-21.

Comparative analysis of active ingredients and effects of the combination of Panax ginseng and Ophiopogon japonicus at different proportions on chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression mouse

In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of the combination of Panax ginseng and Ophiopogon japonicus (PG–OJ) herbs at different ratios on myelosuppression induced by chemotherapy.

Effect of Taurine on Intestinal Microbiota and Immune Cells in Peyer's Patches of Immunosuppressive Mice

Taurine is a sulfur-containing amino acid which has strong activities in enhancing immunity. Gut microbiota is closely interrelated with intestinal mucosal immunity, but the effects and mechanisms of taurine on intestinal microbiota and mucosal immune cells under an immunosuppressive condition remain unclear. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of taurine on gut microbiota and immune cells in Peyer's patches (PPs) of dexamethasone (Dex)-induced immunosuppressive mice. Mice (4-week-old, Male) were randomly divided into three groups: the Control group (n = 12), the Dex-induced immunosuppressive model group (n = 12) and the taurine intervention group (n = 12). The model was established by Dex injection for 7 days and the taurine intervention group was gavaged 100 mg/kg soluble taurine for 30 days. The changes of intestinal microbiota and immune cells in PPs were tested by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and flow cytometry, respectively. Results showed that the microbiota in immunosuppressive mice was obvious different compared with control group, in which, the Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae groups were significantly reduced, and their reduction were reversed after taurine intervention. Compared to the control group, the total cell number in PPs, as well as the subsets of CD3⁺ cells (T cells), CD19⁺ cells (B cells) in model groups were significantly lower, and they were dramatically improved after taurine treatment. Our results suggested that taurine has a positive effect on i ntestinal homeostasis of the immunosuppressive mice.

Mussel (Mytilus coruscus) Water Extract Containing Taurine Prevents LPS-Induced Inflammatory Responses in Zebrafish Model

Mussel (Mytilus coruscus) water extract had strong anti-inflammatory activities, but the effects and its mechanisms of mussel on anti-inflammatory properties in vivo remain to be determined. This study, therefore, was designed to investigate anti-inflammatory activities of mussel water extract containing a large amounts of taurine (151.96 nmol/mg) using the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory zebrafish model. In this study, mussel water extract containing taurine shows potent protective effects against the cell death stimulated by LPS exposure in zebrafish embryos. In addition, zebrafish subjected to LPS treatment exhibited significantly increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) levels. However, mussel water extract markedly suppressed LPS-induced ROS and NO production. Our results indicate that mussel water extract attenuated inflammation by inhibiting the LPS-induced intracellular ROS and NO production in zebrafish embryos. These findings could demonstrate the anti-inflammatory activity of mussel water extract containing taurine, which might have a protective effects on inflammatory diseases.

Immune regulation effect of lienal polypeptides extract in Lewis lung carcinoma-bearing mice treated with cyclophosphamide

Polypeptides extracted from animal immune organs have been proved to exert immunomodulatory activities in previous reports. However, relative experimental data regarding the influence of a polypeptide mixture extracted from healthy calf spleen (lienal polypeptide [LP]) on the immune function in tumor therapy are limited, and the components in LP remain unclear. In the present study, the immune regulatory effect of LP was investigated in normal mice and Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC)-bearing mice treated with cyclophosphamide (CTX). The components of LP were identified by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis and bioinformatic analysis. In LLC-bearing mice, LP showed a synergic antitumor effect with CTX, whereas LP alone did not present direct antitumor activity. Further, LP was found to enhance immune organ indexes, splenocyte number, and T lymphocyte subsets in normal mice and LLC-bearing mice treated with CTX. The decline of white blood cell and platelet counts, splenocyte proliferation activity, and peritoneal macrophage phagocytic function caused by CTX were also significantly suppressed by LP treatment in LLC-bearing mice. Notably, LP treatment significantly decreased the expression of phagocytosis-related proteins including CD47/signal regulatory protein α/Src homology phosphatase-1 in the tumor tissue of LLC-bearing mice treated with CTX. LC-MS/MS-based peptidomics unraveled the main polypeptides in LP with a length from 8 to 25 amino acids. Bioinformatics analysis further confirmed the possibility of LP to regulate immunity, especially in phagocytosis-related pathway. Our above findings indicated that LP can relieve the immunosuppression induced by chemotherapy and is a beneficial supplement in cancer therapy. Impact statement The immunomodulatory activities of polypeptides extracted from animal immune organs have incurred people's interests since a long time ago. In this study, we investigated the immune regulation effects of a polypeptide mixture extracted from health calf spleen (lienal polypeptide [LP]) in Lewis lung carcinoma-bearing mice treated with cyclophosphamide (CTX). Liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-coupled with tandem mass spectrometry-based peptidomics and bioinformatics analysis unraveled the main polypeptides in LP and further confirmed that LP is mainly associated with immune regulating pathway, especially in tumor cell phagocytosis-related pathway. Our study for the first time revealed that polypeptides from spleen can relieve the immunosuppression induced by CTX and is a beneficial supplement in cancer therapy.

Development and Validation of a Rapid and Simple UPLC-ESI-MS Method for Pharmacokinetics and Tissue Distribution of Astragaloside III in Rats

A rapid and simple ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS) method for the determination of astragaloside III was developed and used in a pharmacokinetic and tissue distribution study in rats following the oral administration 95% ethanol extraction of Zhenqi Fuzheng capsules. Although astragaloside III and astragaloside IV have the same molecular weight and very similar structures, they were successfully separated using this method. Quantification was performed using low-energy collision tandem mass spectrometry (CID-MS-MS) with the multiple reaction monitoring scan mode of the following precursor ion → product ion atm/z807.61→335.22 for astragaloside III and atm/z633.18→331.18 for the internal standard (hesperidin). Both astragaloside III and astragaloside IV in rat plasma were best fit to a two-compartment model. The tissue distribution study showed the overall trend of disposition of astragaloside III were C thymus > C spleen > C stomach > C liver > C heart > C kidney > C lung > C testicle The high levels of astragaloside III in thymus and spleen indicated an accumulation in organs involved in immune responses and showed that these organs are major target sites in vivo The results in the article will provide valuable information for use in clinical applications of astragaloside III.

Effect of taurine on the proliferation and apoptosis of human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells

The aim of the present study was to observe the effect and molecular mechanism of taurine (Tau) on the cell proliferation and apoptosis of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HHCC) HepG2 cells. HHCC HepG2 cells were used as target cells, and the cell survival rate was assessed using a multi-time-step method. The p53 upregulated modulator of apoptosis (PUMA) gene was transiently transfected by lipofection and subsequently silenced with specific small interfering (si)RNA. The cell apoptosis rate was detected by flow cytometry, and protein expression levels were analyzed with western blotting. Addition of 20-160 mM Tau was shown to have a significant inhibitory effect on cell proliferation, while promoting the induction of HHCC HepG2 cell apoptosis (P<0.05). Transfection of the PUMA gene significantly enhanced the ability of Tau to inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis of HepG2 cells. In addition, transfection of the PUMA gene increased the protein expression of B-cell lymphoma-2-associated X and reduced the expression of B-cell lymphoma-2 (P<0.05). Silencing the PUMA gene with specific siRNA was demonstrated to significantly reduce the ability of Tau to inhibit proliferation and induce the apoptosis of HHCC HepG2 cells (P<0.01). Therefore, the PUMA gene was shown to have an important role in mechanism underlying the effect that Tau exerts on cell proliferation and apoptosis in HHCC HepG2 cells.

Effect of taurine on febrile episodes in acute lymphoblastic leukemia

PURPOSE

The purpose of our study was to evaluate the effect of oral taurine on the incidence of febrile episodes during chemotherapy in young adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

METHODS

Forty young adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, at the beginning of maintenance course of their chemotherapy, were eligible for this study. The study population was randomized in a double blind manner to receive either taurine or placebo (2 gram per day orally). Life quality and side effects including febrile episodes were assessed using questionnaire. Data were analyzed using Pearson's Chi square test.

RESULTS

Of total forty participants, 43.8% were female and 56.3 % were male. The mean age was 19.16±1.95 years (ranges: 16-23 years). The results indicated that the levels of white blood cells are significantly (P<0.05) increased in taurine treated group. There was no elevation in blasts count. A total of 70 febrile episodes were observed during study, febrile episodes were significantly (P<0.05) lower in taurine patients in comparison to the control ones.

CONCLUSION

The overall incidence of febrile episodes and infectious complications in acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients receiving taurine was lower than placebo group. Taurine's ability to increase leukocyte count may result in lower febrile episodes.

Tissue distribution of six major bio-active components after oral administration of Zhenqi Fuzheng capsules to rats using ultra-pressure liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

Radix Astragali (Huangqi in Chinese) and Fructus Ligustri Lucidi (Nvzhenzi in Chinese) (2:1, w/w) are combined in an herbal formulation called Zhenqi Fuzheng capsules (ZFCs) for use in China to improve immunity, promote the recovery of normal functions after surgical operations, and as the most important adjuvant therapy in cancer. In this study, the tissue distribution profiles of the six major bio-active constituents (calycosin-7-O-β-D-glucoside, ononin, calycosin, formononetin, astragaloside IV and astragaloside II) were examined after oral administration of ZFCs to rats. All six constituents in each tissue were detected simultaneously using UPLC-ESI-MS, and the concentration of each constituent per gram of each tissue was determined. Quantification was performed using low-energy collision tandem mass spectrometry (CID-MS/MS) in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) scan mode for the following precursor ion→product ion transitions at m/z 447.21→285.30 for calycosin-7-O-β-D-glucoside, m/z 285.29→270.38 for calycosin, m/z 431→269 for ononin, m/z 269→237 for formononetin, m/z 807.40→627.50 for astragaloside IV, m/z 849.60→669.65 for astragaloside II and m/z 633.18→331.18 for the internal standard (hesperidin). The results showed that in general the tissue concentrations for all six constituents were in the following order: spleen>stomach>thymus>lung>liver>kidney>heart>testicle. The high levels in the spleen and thymus indicated that all six compounds accumulated in organs involved in the immune response, consistent with the immunity effects of ZFC. The high levels in the stomach were consistent with the oral administration of ZFC. This study was the first to compare the tissue distribution of calycosin-7-O-β-D-glucoside with that of calycosin or of ononin with that of formononetin in rats. It was also the first study to examine the tissue distribution of astragaloside II, calycosin and formononetin following oral administration of ZFC to rats.

Uptake and biological effects of synthetic glucocorticoids in common carp (Cyprinus carpio)

Uptake and biological effects of synthetic glucocorticoids (GCs) were analyzed using common carp (Cyprinus carpio). Fish were exposed to clobetasol propionate (CP) or clobetasone butyrate (CB) individually or in mixture at 1 μg L(-1) for 21 days. Bioconcentration factor (BCF) of CB was calculated as 100, and BCF of CP was less than 16. No effects were found in fish erythrocyte and leukocyte numbers and serum glucose levels after exposure to the selected GCs. On the other hand, serum concentrations of free amino acids significantly increased in GC-exposed groups. Thus, exposures to synthetic GCs at relatively low concentrations seemed to cause enhancement of protein degradation and subsequent increase of serum free amino acids without a corresponding increase in serum glucose levels, an effect which might be related to partial induction of gluconeogenesis by GC.

Mechanism of taurine-induced apoptosis in human colon cancer cells

Taurine (Tau) has been shown to possess cancer therapeutic effect through induction of apoptosis, while the underlying molecular mechanism of its anti-cancer effect is not well understood. PUMA (p53-upregulated modulator of apoptosis) plays an important role in the process of apoptosis induction in a variety of human tumor cells in both p53-dependent and -independent manners. However, whether PUMA is involved in the process of Tau-induced apoptosis in cancer cells has not been well studied. In the present study, we treated human colorectal cancer cells HT-29 (mutant p53) and LoVo (wild-type p53) with different concentrations of Tau, which led to the repression of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis in both cell lines. Meanwhile, we also observed the increased expression of PUMA and high Bax/Bcl-2 ratios. To determine the role of PUMA in Tau-induced apoptosis, we used small interfering RNA interference to suppress PUMA expression. As a result, apoptosis was decreased in response to Tau treatment. All these results indicated that PUMA plays a critical role in Tau-induced apoptosis pathway in human colorectal cancer cells. Demonstration of the molecular mechanism involved in the anti-tumor effect of Tau may be useful in the therapeutic target selection for p53-deficient colorectal cancer.

Taurine drinking attenuates the burden of intestinal adult worms and muscle larvae in mice with Trichinella spiralis infection

The parasitic nematode Trichinella spiralis can cause trichinellosis, which leads to pathological processes in the intestine and muscle. The intestinal invasion determines the development, subsequent course, and consequences of the disease. Gastrointestinal nematode infection, including with T. spiralis, is accompanied by a rapid and reversible expansion of mucosal mast cell and goblet cell in the intestinal epithelium, which play important roles in the host immune response to parasite and worm expulsion from the intestine. Taurine and its derivatives have anti-infection and anti-inflammatory properties. We investigated whether taurine supplementation in mice could influence the development and pathological processes of infection with T. spiralis. Supplementing 1% taurine in drinking water in mice infected with T. spiralis could alleviate the burden of intestinal adult worms on days 7 and 10 postinfection (all p < 0.01) and the formation of infective muscle larvae in striated muscle during T. spiralis infection (p < 0.01). As compared with T. spiralis infection alone, taurine treatment increased the number of goblet cells on days 7, 10, and 15 (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05) and alleviated intestinal mucosal mast cell hyperplasia on days 10 and 15 (all p < 0.01). So taurine supplementation in drinking water increased infection-induced intestinal goblet cell hyperplasia and ameliorated mucosal mastocytosis. Thus, taurine can ameliorate the pathological processes of trichinellosis and may be of great value for the treatment and prevention of infection with T. spiralis and other gastrointestinal nematodes.

Taurine and inflammatory diseases

Taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid) is the most abundant free amino acid in humans and plays an important role in several essential biological processes such as bile acid conjugation, maintenance of calcium homeostasis, osmoregulation and membrane stabilization. Moreover, attenuation of apoptosis and its antioxidant activity seem to be crucial for the cytoprotective effects of taurine. Although these properties are not tissue specific, taurine reaches particularly high concentrations in tissues exposed to elevated levels of oxidants (e.g., inflammatory cells). It suggests that taurine may play an important role in inflammation associated with oxidative stress. Indeed, at the site of inflammation, taurine is known to react with and detoxify hypochlorous acid generated by the neutrophil myeloperoxidase (MPO)–halide system. This reaction results in the formation of less toxic taurine chloramine (TauCl). Both haloamines, TauCl and taurine bromamine (TauBr), the product of taurine reaction with hypobromous acid (HOBr), exert antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. In contrast to a well-documented regulatory role of taurine and taurine haloamines (TauCl, TauBr) in acute inflammation, their role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases is not clear. This review summarizes our current knowledge concerning the role of taurine, TauCl and TauBr in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases initiated or propagated by MPO-derived oxidants. The aim of this paper is to show links between inflammation, neutrophils, MPO, oxidative stress and taurine. We will discuss the possible contribution of taurine and taurine haloamines to the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases, especially in the best studied example of rheumatoid arthritis.

Radiation protection following nuclear power accidents: a survey of putative mechanisms involved in the radioprotective actions of taurine during and after radiation exposure

There are several animal experiments showing that high doses of ionizing radiation lead to strongly enhanced leakage of taurine from damaged cells into the extracellular fluid, followed by enhanced urinary excretion. This radiation-induced taurine depletion can itself have various harmful effects (as will also be the case when taurine depletion is due to other causes, such as alcohol abuse or cancer therapy with cytotoxic drugs), but taurine supplementation has been shown to have radioprotective effects apparently going beyond what might be expected just as a consequence of correcting the harmful consequences of taurine deficiency per se. The mechanisms accounting for the radioprotective effects of taurine are, however, very incompletely understood. In this article an attempt is made to survey various mechanisms that potentially might be involved as parts of the explanation for the overall beneficial effect of high levels of taurine that has been found in experiments with animals or isolated cells exposed to high doses of ionizing radiation. It is proposed that taurine may have radioprotective effects by a combination of several mechanisms: (1) during the exposure to ionizing radiation by functioning as an antioxidant, but perhaps more because it counteracts the prooxidant catalytic effect of iron rather than functioning as an important scavenger of harmful molecules itself, (2) after the ionizing radiation exposure by helping to reduce the intensity of the post-traumatic inflammatory response, and thus reducing the extent of tissue damage that develops because of severe inflammation rather than as a direct effect of the ionizing radiation per se, (3) by functioning as a growth factor helping to enhance the growth rate of leukocytes and leukocyte progenitor cells and perhaps also of other rapidly proliferating cell types, such as enterocyte progenitor cells, which may be important for immunological recovery and perhaps also for rapid repair of various damaged tissues, especially in the intestines, and (4) by functioning as an antifibrogenic agent. A detailed discussion is given of possible mechanisms involved both in the antioxidant effects of taurine, in its anti-inflammatory effects and in its role as a growth factor for leukocytes and nerve cells, which might be closely related to its role as an osmolyte important for cellular volume regulation because of the close connection between cell volume regulation and the regulation of protein synthesis as well as cellular protein degradation. While taurine supplementation alone would be expected to exert a therapeutic effect far better than negligible in patients that have been exposed to high doses of ionizing radiation, it may on theoretical grounds be expected that much better results may be obtained by using taurine as part of a multifactorial treatment strategy, where it may interact synergistically with several other nutrients, hormones or other drugs for optimizing antioxidant protection and minimizing harmful posttraumatic inflammatory reactions, while using other nutrients to optimize DNA and tissue repair processes, and using a combination of good diet, immunostimulatory hormones and perhaps other nontoxic immunostimulants (such as beta-glucans) for optimizing the recovery of antiviral and antibacterial immune functions. Similar multifactorial treatment strategies may presumably be helpful in several other disease situations (including severe infectious diseases and severe asthma) as well as for treatment of acute intoxications or acute injuries (both mechanical ones and severe burns) where severely enhanced oxidative and/or nitrative stress and/or too much secretion of vasodilatory neuropeptides from C-fibres are important parts of the pathogenetic mechanisms that may lead to the death of the patient. Some case histories (with discussion of some of those mechanisms that may have been responsible for the observed therapeutic outcome) are given for illustration of the likely validity of these concepts and their relevance both for treatment of severe infections and non-infectious inflammatory diseases such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.

Protective effect of dammarane sapogenins against chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression in mice

Chemotherapy is the most common way to treat malignancies, but myelosuppression, one of its common side-effects, is a formidable problem. The present study described the protective role of dammarane sapogenins (DS), an active fraction from oriental ginseng, on myelosuppression induced by cyclophosphamide (CP) in mice. DS was orally administered at different dosages (37.5, 75, and 150 mg/kg) for 10 d after CP administration (200 mg/kg intraperitoneally). The results showed that DS increased the number of white blood cells (WBC) on day 3 and day 7 (P < 0.05), such that WBC levels were increased by 105.7 ± 29.5% at 75 mg/kg of DS on day 3 (P < 0.05, compared with the CP group). Similar results were observed in red blood cells and platelets in DS-treated groups. The colony-forming assay demonstrated that the depressed numbers of CFU-GM (colony-forming unit-granulocyte and macrophage), CFU-E (colony-forming unit-erythroid), BFU-E (burst-forming unit-erythroid), CFU-Meg (colony-forming unit-megakaryocyte) and CFU-GEMM (colony-forming unit-granulocyte, -erythrocyte, -monocyte and -megakaryocyte) induced by CP were significantly reversed after DS treatment. Moreover, the ameliorative effect of DS on myelosuppression was also observed in the femur by hematoxylin/eosin staining. In DS-treated groups, ConA-induced splenocyte proliferation was enhanced significantly at all the doses (37.5, 75, 150 mg/kg) on day 3 at the rate of 50.3 ± 8.0%, 77.6 ± 8.5% and 44.5 ± 8.4%, respectively, while lipopolysaccharide-induced proliferation was increased mainly on day 7 (P < 0.01), with an increased rate of 39.8 ± 5.6%, 34.9 ± 6.6% and 38.3 ± 7.3%, respectively. The thymus index was also markedly increased by 70.4% and 36.6% at 75 mg/kg on days 3 and 7, respectively, as compared with the CP group. In summary, DS has a protective function against CP-induced myelosuppression. Its mechanism might be related to stimulating hematopoiesis recovery, as well as enhancing the immunological function.