Protection effects of Taurine supplementation against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats.
BACKGROUND
Taurine, which is the major intracellular free beta-amino acid, is known to be an antioxidant and a membrane-stabilizing agent. This study was designed to investigate the protective role of taurine supplementation against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity.


METHODS
Male Wistar rats were divided into six groups and treated as follows: (1) saline-treated control drinking tap water, (2) saline-treated plus taurine-supplemented (1.5% taurine in the drinking water), (3) saline-treated plus taurine-depleted (3% beta-alanine in the drinking water), (4) cisplatin-treated, CDDP 6 mg/kg intraperitoneally, (5) taurine-supplemented plus CDDP-treated and (6) taurine-depleted plus CDDP-treated. Rats were sacrificed 7 days after CDDP treatment, and serum as well as kidneys were isolated and analyzed.


RESULTS
CDDP-treated rats showed increased kidney weight as a percentage of total body weight, serum creatinine and BUN levels and decreased serum albumin and calcium levels. Also, CDDP treatment resulted in a depletion of kidney GSH content, a reduction in the kidney glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity and increased kidney MDA production level. Taurine supplementation attenuated CDDP-induced nephrotoxicity which was manifested by jeopardizing the elevation in serum creatinine and BUN levels and the reduction in serum albumin and calcium levels. Moreover, taurine supplementation restored kidney GSH content and GSH-Px activity and reduced platinum accumulation and MDA production levels in the kidney tissue following CDDP treatment. Histopathological examination of the kidney of CDDP-treated rats revealed tubular atrophy, tubular necrosis and desquamation of renal tubular cells. However, taurine supplementation protected against CDDP-induced histopathological changes.


CONCLUSIONS
The data suggest that taurine supplementation effectively attenuates the accumulation of platinum within kidney tissue and counteracts the deleterious effect of CDDP on the renal tubular function.
Saad
Sherif Y
SY
Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. sherif_ibrahem@hotmail.com
Al-Rikabi
Ammar C
AC
D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001806:Blood Urea Nitrogen; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000633:toxicity*; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D007683:Kidney Tubular Necrosis, Acute / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013654:Taurine / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D013654:Taurine; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D003404:Creatinine; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D005978:Glutathione; D002945:Cisplatin; D002118:Calcium