Taurine, a possible urinary marker of liver damage: a study of taurine excretion in carbon tetrachloride-treated rats.
Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) caused a dose-dependent increase in urinary taurine which correlated with both the histological and biochemical assessment of liver damage. The peak elevation in urinary taurine occurred within the first 48 h after dosing but there was still significant taurinuria 72 and 96 h after the intermediate dose (1 ml.kg-1) and highest dose (2 ml.kg-1), respectively. Levels of taurine in serum were also elevated over the 24 h period following a hepatotoxic dose (2 ml.kg-1) of CCl4. In contrast, although initially elevated, levels of taurine in the liver declined over the 24 h period following dosing and were significantly lower 96 h after a hepatotoxic dose of CCl4 (2 ml.kg-1). Male rats showed a different urinary profile for taurine than female rats after dosing with CCl4. A reduction in food intake seemed to lower urinary taurine levels although these changes were not statistically significant. There was a significant correlation between the level of urinary taurine and the level of serum AST for individual animals given a hepatotoxic dose of CCl4 (2 ml.kg-1). The data presented suggest that: i) taurine is produced by the liver in response to a toxic insult and subsequent leakage from damaged cells leads to increased levels in the urine; ii) the urinary taurine level may be a useful non-invasive marker of liver damage.
Toxicology Unit, School of Pharmacy, University of London, UK.
C J
CJ
Waterfield
J A
JA
Turton
M D
MD
Scales
J A
JA
Timbrell
D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride / Q000633:toxicity*; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; D005260:Female; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013654:Taurine / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine*; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000652:urine
D015415:Biomarkers; D013654:Taurine; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase