title: The beneficial effect of taurine on the prevention of human endothelial cell death.
abstract: This study was designed to test the hypothesis that the antioxidant taurine may modulate human endothelial cell (EC) death (apoptosis versus necrosis). Sodium arsenite (80 microM) alone and in combination with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (25 ng/mL) caused EC apoptosis after 24 h of treatment. Taurine (.5 mg/mL) added at 0 and 6 h could significantly attenuate EC apoptosis, and oxidative state in response to lipopolysaccharide and tumor necrosis factor-alpha stimulation. EC necrosis was induced by activated neutrophils (PMNs). Taurine reduced PMN-mediated EC necrosis in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, treatment of ECs with a calcium ionophore, A23187 (1.0-4.0 microM), resulted in both EC apoptosis and necrosis. Taurine significantly abrogated A23187-mediated intracellular calcium elevation and EC death. These data indicate that taurine, possibly through its antioxidant activity and regulation of intracellular calcium flux, can prevent EC dysfunction and cell death, which may have implications for the application of this amino acid in the amelioration of acute lung injury during systemic inflammatory response syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Department of Surgery, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Redmond
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Condron
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bouchier-Hayes
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018053:Arsenites / Q000494:pharmacology; D000001:Calcimycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004586:Electrophoresis / Q000379:methods; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects; D007476:Ionophores / Q000494:pharmacology; D009336:Necrosis; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D017670:Sodium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D013654:Taurine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D018053:Arsenites; D007476:Ionophores; D017670:Sodium Compounds; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D013654:Taurine; D000001:Calcimycin; C017947:sodium arsenite; D004247:DNA; D002118:Calcium