title: Plasma and platelet taurine are reduced in subjects with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus: effects of taurine supplementation.
abstract: Plasma and platelet taurine concentrations were assayed in 39 patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and in 34 control subjects matched for age, sex, and both total and protein-derived daily energy intake. Platelet aggregation induced by arachidonic acid in vitro at baseline and after oral taurine supplementation (1.5 g/d) for 90 d was also studied. Plasma and platelet taurine concentrations (mean +/- SEM) were lower in diabetic patients (65.6 +/- 3.1 mumol/L, or 0.66 +/- 0.07 mol/g protein) than in control subjects (93.3 +/- 6.3 mumol/L, or 0.99 +/- 0.16 mol/g protein, P < 0.01). After oral supplementation, both plasma and platelet taurine concentrations increased significantly in the diabetic patients, reaching the mean values of healthy control subjects. The effective dose (mean +/- SEM) of arachidonic acid required for platelets to aggregate was significantly lower in diabetic patients than in control subjects (0.44 +/- 0.07 mmol compared with 0.77 +/- 0.02 mmol, P < 0.001, whereas after taurine supplementation it equaled the mean value for healthy control subjects (0.72 +/- 0.04 mmol). In in vitro experiments, taurine reduced platelet aggregation in diabetic patients in a dose-dependent manner, whereas 10 mmol taurine/L did not modify aggregation in healthy subjects.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemistry, University of Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Franconi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bennardini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mattana
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miceli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ciuti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mian
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gironi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Anichini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Seghieri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005527:Food, Fortified; D006801:Humans; D010974:Platelet Aggregation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013654:Taurine / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D013654:Taurine; D016718:Arachidonic Acid