A modulating role of taurine on release of acetylcholine and norepinephrine from neuronal tissues.
Effects of taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid) on the uptake and release of 14C-acetylcholine (14C-ACh) and 3H-norepinephrine (3H-NE) in the superior cervical ganglion and cerebral cortex of the rat were studied. Taurine suppressed high potassium evoked release of 14C-ACh and 3H-NE from the rat superior cervical ganglia and cerebral cortical slices, while the drug did not modify per se the uptake and unstimulated (spontaneous) release of 14C-ACh and 3H-NE in these tissues. Furthermore, taurine inhibited the release of 3H-NE from the crude synaptosomal (P2) fraction of the rat brain without affecting the uptake. These results suggest that taurine may act as a modulator of neuronal activity, possibly by stabilizing excitable membrane and by suppressing the release of neurotansmitter at synapses.
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism*; D003864:Depression, Chemical; D005724:Ganglia / Q000378:metabolism*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism*; D011188:Potassium / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D051381:Rats; D013574:Synaptosomes / Q000378:metabolism; D013654:Taurine / Q000494:pharmacology*
D013654:Taurine; D000109:Acetylcholine; D011188:Potassium; D009638:Norepinephrine