Characterization of taurine as inhibitor of sodium glucose transporter.
The most characterized roles of taurine include osmoregulator and membrane-stabilizing activities. However, much remains to be understood about its role in human physiology concerning its anti-hyperglycemic effect. Studies indicate that taurine-supplemented diet helps alleviate hyperglycemia or insulin resistance. This hypoglycemic effect has been postulated as taurine helping to increase the excretion of cholesterol. Alternatively, this study investigated the effect of taurine on glucose transporter using heterologous expression of sodium-glucose transporter-1 (SGLT-1). SGLT-1 was expressed in Xenopus oocytes and the effect of taurine on the expressed SGLT-1 was analyzed utilizing 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DOG) uptake and voltage clamp studies. In the oocytes expressing SGLT-1, taurine was shown to inhibit SGLT-1 activity compared to the non-treated controls in a dose-dependent manner. In the presence of taurine, the glucose uptake was greatly inhibited and the glucose-generated current was significantly inhibited. Synthetic taurine analogs were also shown to be effective in inhibiting SGLT-1 activity in a manner comparable to taurine. These effects might offer a promising opportunity in designing functional foods with anti-hyperglycemic potential by supplementing taurine and its analogs to the diet.
Kim
Ha Won
HW
Department of Life Sciences, University of Seoul, 90 Jeonnong-Dong, Dongdaemun-Gu Seoul, Korea 130-743. hwkim@uos.ac.kr
Lee
Alexander John
AJ
You
Seungkwon
S
Park
Taesun
T
Lee
Dong Hee
DH
D000818:Animals; D003847:Deoxyglucose / Q000378:metabolism; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009865:Oocytes / Q000502:physiology; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D051269:Sodium-Glucose Transporter 1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013654:Taurine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism*
C495674:SLC5A1 protein, human; D051269:Sodium-Glucose Transporter 1; D013654:Taurine; D003847:Deoxyglucose; D005947:Glucose