Effects of taurine on rat aorta in vitro.
The effects of taurine on vascular tone of isolated thoracic aortic rings were investigated. We have observed that: 1) taurine is able to induce reduction of the basal contractile tone; 2) taurine exerts a relaxing action in artery segments preconstricted with high potassium medium noradrenaline; 3) the effect of taurine is either dependent on endothelium, nor mediated by adrenoceptors or muscarinic cholinoceptors; 4) in vessels with basal tone or in those preconstricted with noradrenaline, the presence of endothelium reduces the taurine-induced relaxation; 5) the actions of taurine are independent of extracellular calcium; 6) taurine increases the vasodilatation induced by a perfusion with a calcium-free medium. The physiological role of taurine in the maintenance of vascular tone in normal and pathological situations is discussed.
Ristori
M T
MT
Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire Cardiaque URA CNRS 632, Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble, France.
Verdetti
J
J
D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011189:Potassium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013654:Taurine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000187:drug effects; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects
D013654:Taurine; D011189:Potassium Chloride; D002118:Calcium; D009638:Norepinephrine