title: Taurine depletion by beta-alanine inhibits induction of hepatotoxicity in mice treated acutely with carbon tetrachloride.
abstract: We examined the effect of taurine depletion on hepatic sulfur-containing amino acid metabolism and carbon tetrachloride-induced acute liver injury. Mice were supplemented with beta-alanine (3%) in drinking water for one week. beta-Alanine intake significantly reduced hepatic taurine levels, but did not influence S-adenosylmethionine, S-adenosylhomocysteine, glutathione levels or methionine adenosyltransferase activity in liver. However, hepatic cysteine levels were significantly elevated by beta-alanine administration. Hepatotoxicity caused by carbon tetrachloride (50 microl/kg, ip) in mice fed beta-alanine was decreased, as determined by changes in serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and sorbitol dehydrogenase activities. Hepatic glutathione and taurine levels after a carbon tetrachloride challenge were markedly increased by beta-alanine exposure. The results suggest that enhanced availability of cysteine for synthesis of glutathione and/or taurine may account for the hepatoprotective effects of beta-alanine against carbon tetrachloride-induced acute liver injury.
authors.affiliation: College of Health Science, Korea University, Korea.
authors.forename: Dalwoong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Sun Ju
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Do Young
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Sun Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Young Chul
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000409:Alanine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride / Q000633:toxicity*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D013654:Taurine / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D013654:Taurine; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D000409:Alanine