Protective functions of taurine against experimental stroke through depressing mitochondria-mediated cell death in rats

Amino Acids. 2011 May;40(5):1419-29. doi: 10.1007/s00726-010-0751-8. Epub 2010 Sep 23.

Abstract

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 brain against experimental stroke through affecting mitochondria-mediated cell death pathway. Rats were subjected to 2-h ischemia by intraluminal filament, and then reperfused for 22 h. It was confirmed again that taurine (50 mg/kg) administered intravenously 1 h after ischemia markedly improved neurological function and decreased infarct volume at 22 h after reperfusion. In vehicle-treated rats, the levels of intracellular ATP and the levels of cytosolic and mitochondrial Bcl-xL in the penumbra and core were markedly reduced, while the levels of cytosolic Bax in the core and mitochondrial Bax in the penumbra and core were enhanced significantly. There was a decrease in cytochrome C in mitochondria and an increase in cytochrome C in the cytosol of the penumbra and core. These changes were reversed by taurine. Furthermore, taurine inhibited the activation of calpain and caspase-3, reduced the degradation of αII-spectrin, and attenuated the necrotic and apoptotic cell death in the penumbra and core. These data demonstrated that preserving the mitochondrial function and blocking the mitochondria-mediated cell death pathway may be one mechanism of taurine's action against brain ischemia.

MeSH terms

  • Adenosine Triphosphate / analysis
  • Adenosine Triphosphate / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Brain Ischemia / drug therapy
  • Brain Ischemia / metabolism
  • Brain Ischemia / pathology
  • Calpain / metabolism
  • Caspase 3 / metabolism
  • Cell Death / drug effects
  • Cerebral Infarction / drug therapy
  • Cerebral Infarction / metabolism
  • Cerebral Infarction / pathology
  • Cytochromes c / metabolism
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Male
  • Mitochondria / drug effects*
  • Mitochondria / metabolism
  • Nervous System Diseases / drug therapy
  • Nervous System Diseases / metabolism
  • Nervous System Diseases / pathology
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Stroke / metabolism
  • Stroke / pathology
  • Stroke / prevention & control*
  • Taurine / administration & dosage
  • Taurine / metabolism
  • Taurine / pharmacology*
  • bcl-2-Associated X Protein / metabolism
  • bcl-X Protein / metabolism

Substances

  • Bax protein, rat
  • bcl-2-Associated X Protein
  • bcl-X Protein
  • Taurine
  • Adenosine Triphosphate
  • Cytochromes c
  • Calpain
  • Caspase 3