title: Taurine, a conditionally essential amino acid, ameliorates arsenic-induced cytotoxicity in murine hepatocytes.
abstract: Arsenic is a potent environmental toxin. Present study has been designed to evaluate the protective role of taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid) against arsenic induced cytotoxicity in murine hepatocytes. Sodium arsenite (NaAsO(2)) was chosen as the source of arsenic. Incubation of hepatocytes with the toxin (1 mM) for 2 h reduced the cell viability as well as intra-cellular antioxidant power. Increased activities of alanine transaminase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) due to toxin exposure confirmed membrane damage. Toxin treatment caused reduction in the activities of the antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). In addition, the same treatment reduced the level of glutathione (GSH), elevated the level of oxidized glutathione (GSSG) and increased the extent of lipid peroxidation. Incubation of hepatocytes with taurine, both prior to and in combination with NaAsO(2), attenuated the extent of lipid peroxidation and enhanced the activities of enzymatic as well as non enzymatic antioxidants. Besides, taurine administration normalized the arsenic-induced enhanced levels of the marker enzymes ALT and ALP in hepatocytes. The cytoprotective activity of taurine against arsenic poisoning was found to be comparable to that of a known antioxidant, vitamin C. Combining all, the results suggest that taurine protects mouse hepatocytes against arsenic induced cytotoxicity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Bose Institute, 93/1, Acharya Prafulla Chandra Road, Kolkata 700 009, India.
authors.forename: Mahua
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sinha
authors.forename: Prasenjit
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Manna
authors.forename: Parames C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Sil
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D000601:Amino Acids, Essential / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants; D001151:Arsenic / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity*; D015415:Biomarkers; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003603:Cytotoxins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity*; D005978:Glutathione; D019803:Glutathione Disulfide; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D013654:Taurine / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000601:Amino Acids, Essential; D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D003603:Cytotoxins; D013654:Taurine; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D005978:Glutathione; D001151:Arsenic; D019803:Glutathione Disulfide