title: Taurine: a potential novel addition to the anti-systemic sclerosis weaponry.
abstract: Vascular damage and immunological events leading to generation of fibrogenic fibroblasts are the main components of systemic sclerosis (SSc) pathogenesis. Superoxide anions play a role in endothelial damage by oxidizing circulating low-density lipoproteins. IL-1 plays a key role in the pathophysiology of SSc by inducing upregulation of adhesion molecules, inflammatory damage of the endothelium and tissue fibrosis. Elevated levels of proTh2 cytokines such as IL-6 in the early stages of SSc lead to enhanced fibroblast collagen production. Taurine, a semi-essential amino acid, is an antioxidant, inhibits the production of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-1 and IL-6 and also inhibits production of TGF-beta, a major fibrogenic cytokine. Therefore, we conclude that taurine may be a novel addition to the treatment armamentarium of this disabling disorder.
authors.affiliation: Shiraz Nephrourology Research Center and Dermatology Department, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Kazem
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Fallahzadeh
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Namazi
authors.forename: Ramesh C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Gupta
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013654:Taurine / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D013654:Taurine