title: Thiotaurine prevents apoptosis of human neutrophils: a putative role in inflammation.
abstract: Thiotaurine, a metabolic product of cystine, contains a sulfane sulfur atom that can be released as H(2)S, a gaseous molecule with a regulatory activity on inflammatory responses. The influence of thiotaurine on human leukocyte spontaneous apoptosis has been evaluated by measuring caspase-3 activity in human neutrophils. Addition of 100 μM thiotaurine induced a 55% inhibition of caspase-3 activity similar to that exerted by 100 μM H(2)S. Interestingly, in the presence of 1 mM GSH, an increase of the inhibition of apoptosis by thiotaurine has been observed. These results indicate that the bioactivity of thiotaurine can be modulated by GSH, which promotes the reductive breakdown of the thiosulfonate generating H(2)S and hypotaurine. As thiotaurine is able to incorporate reversibly reduced sulfur, it is suggested that the biosynthesis of this thiosulfonate could be a means to transport and store H(2)S.
authors: Dipartimento di Scienze Biochimiche, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy.
authors: Elisabetta
authors: E
authors: Capuozzo
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Pecci
authors: Alessia
authors: A
authors: Baseggio Conrado
authors: Mario
authors: M
authors: Fontana
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D019610:Cytoprotection / Q000187:drug effects*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000473:pathology*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology*; D013440:Sulfides / Q000494:pharmacology; D013654:Taurine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D013440:Sulfides; D013654:Taurine; D053148:Caspase 3; C025451:sodium bisulfide; D005978:Glutathione; C514237:thiotaurine