The effects of taurine on hNT neurons transplanted in adult rat striatum.
Taurine acts as an antioxidant able to protect neurons from free radical-mediated cellular damage. Moreover, it modulates the immune response of astrocytes that participate in neurodegenerative processes. The objective of this study was to examine whether taurine can prevent or attenuate the host inflammatory response induced by the xenotransplantation of neurons derived from the human teratocarcinoma cell line (hNT neurons). Male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated IP with either saline or taurine. Animals from both groups were perfused on the 4th or 11th day and the saline or taurine was administered from the start of the study until the day prior to sacrifice. The brains were processed immunohistochemically using antibodies against glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), microglia (OX42), and human nuclear matrix antigen (NuMA). In the saline group, NuMA labeling revealed small grafts on the 4th day and no surviving cells on the 11th day. However, in the group that received taurine there were surviving grafts at both time points. Strong immunoreactivity for GFAP and OX42 was detected in the saline group surrounding the transplant. These effects were reduced in animals receiving taurine. Taken together, these results demonstrated that taurine was able to facilitate graft survival and attenuate the immune response generated by the xenograft.
Rivas-Arancibia
S
S
Center for Aging and Brain Repair, Department of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine University of South Florida, Tampa 33612, USA. srivas@servidor.unam.mx
Willing
A E
AE
Zigova
T
T
Rodriguez
A I
AI
Cahill
D W
DW
Sanberg
P R
PR
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000032:analysis; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D017628:Microglia / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013654:Taurine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018243:Teratocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous
D000975:Antioxidants; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; C489081:Numa1 protein, rat; D013654:Taurine