title: Higher susceptibility of taurine-deficient rats to seizures induced by 4-aminopyridine.
abstract: The susceptibility of rats made deficient of taurine by treatment with guanidinoethane sulfonate (GES), to seizures induced by 4-aminopyridine was examined. Guanidinoethane sulfonate, at a concentration of 1% was administered to pregnant rats, in the drinking water 2-3 days prior to delivery and the treatment was continued during nursing. Pups were weaned to the same treatment until 6 weeks of age. This treatment decreased levels of taurine in the cerebral cortex by 70%. 4-Aminopyridine was injected intraperitoneally at doses ranging from 4-7 mg/kg. Taurine-deficient rats showed a greater susceptibility to seizures, as demonstrated by a lowered latency for clonic seizures, an increased incidence of tonic seizures and a higher postseizure mortality. These results suggest an involvement of endogenous taurine in nervous excitability.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, D.F.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pasantes-Morales
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Arzate
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Quesada
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Huxtable
mesh_terms: D015761:4-Aminopyridine; D000631:Aminopyridines / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced*; D013654:Taurine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000631:Aminopyridines; D013654:Taurine; C009558:taurocyamine; D015761:4-Aminopyridine