title: Taurine attenuates liver injury by downregulating phosphorylated p38 MAPK of Kupffer cells in rats with severe acute pancreatitis.
abstract: This study was undertaken to clarify the effects of taurine on liver injury in rats with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). Rats were randomly assigned to three groups: a sham operation (SO), a SAP (established by infusion of 5% taurocholate), and a SAP given taurine (Taur). At 12 and 24 h post-operation, taurine pretreatment significantly attenuated hepatic tissue injury induced by SAP, and concurrently, serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate transaminase, and amylase levels were significantly reduced by taurine pretreatment. Compared with the SO group, the total and phosphorylated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) expression and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activity of Kupffer cells (KCs) were significantly higher in the SAP group, but taurine pretreatment inhibited the total and phosphorylated p38 MAPK expression and NF-κB activity of KCs in the SAP group. The increase of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-lβ in cultured supernate of the SAP rat-derived KCs was also significantly inhibited by taurine pretreatment. These results suggest that taurine pretreatment ameliorated liver injury in rats with SAP mainly by inhibiting phosphorylated p38 MAPK and NF-κB activity in KCs, which may play an important role in liver injury.
authors.affiliation: Chongqing Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, 74 Linjiang Road, Chongqing 400010, China.
authors.forename: Sidong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Qingyong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Jinzheng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zuojin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Haibo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: You
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jianping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gong
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000681:Amylases / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D015536:Down-Regulation; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000378:metabolism; D007728:Kupffer Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism*; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013654:Taurine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013656:Taurocholic Acid; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D016328:NF-kappa B; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D013654:Taurine; D013656:Taurocholic Acid; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D000681:Amylases