title: Synthesis, uptake and release of taurine in astrocytes treated with 8-Br-cAMP.
abstract: Taurine is one of the most abundant free amino acids in the mammalian central nervous system, where it is crucial for proper development. Moreover, taurine has been related with epilepsy, as it can reduce or prevent seizures. It is also a neuroprotectant in other experimental conditions. Glial cultures were analysed to determine the changes in taurine synthesis and traffic that occur in a more differentiated state of these cells. The cultures were treated with 8-Br-cAMP, an analogue of cAMP that induces differentiation in astrocytes. We observed an increase in immunoreactivity for GFAP, as well as an alteration in uptake-release kinetics in these cells. Moreover, we noted an increase in taurine levels and in cysteine sulfinic decarboxylase, which is the rate-limiting enzyme in taurine synthesis. The data indicate that taurine synthesis and traffic kinetics vary according to the differentiation state of the astrocytes. Thus, our results highlight the importance of astrocytes in modulating taurine levels in the brain.
authors.affiliation: Unitat de Farmacologia i Farmacognòsia Facultat de Farmàcia, Institut de Biomedicina, Centros de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, Universitat de Barcelona, Avda/Diagnol 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain. felixjunyent@ub.edu
authors.forename: Fèlix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Junyent
authors.forename: Juana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Utrera
authors.forename: Antoni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Camins
authors.forename: Mercè
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pallàs
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Romero
authors.forename: Carme
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Auladell
mesh_terms: D015124:8-Bromo Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002262:Carboxy-Lyases / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007700:Kinetics; D051379:Mice; D013654:Taurine / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D013654:Taurine; D015124:8-Bromo Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate; D002262:Carboxy-Lyases; C019972:sulfoalanine decarboxylase