Taurine reduces atherosclerotic lesion development in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice.
The effects of dietary taurine on development of atherosclerotic lesions were investigated using apolipoprotein E (apoE)-deficient mice. Taurine added to regular chow at 2% (w/w), was made freely available to mice for 3 months. Severe hypercholesterolemia and development of atherosclerotic lesions occurred in the apo-E-deficient mice. Taurine treatment decreased the area of Oil red-O positive lipid accumulation in the aortic valve by 31%. In contrast, taurine significantly increased serum atherogenic lipoproteins (LDL + VLDL), without changing HDL cholesterol levels. Although the levels of serum thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in apoE-deficient mice were significantly higher than in wild-type mice, taurine decreased TBARS by 26%. These observations mean that taurine prevents the development of atherosclerosis, independent of serum cholesterol levels. We suggest that antioxidative actions may be involved in the anti-atherosclerotic effects of taurine.
Kondo
Y
Y
Medicinal Research Laboratories, Taisho Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Ohmiya, Japan.
Murakami
S
S
Oda
H
H
Nagate
T
T
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001011:Aorta / Q000378:metabolism; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000172:deficiency*; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D001835:Body Weight; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D013654:Taurine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism
D000975:Antioxidants; D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D013654:Taurine; D002784:Cholesterol