title: Taurine drinking ameliorates hepatic granuloma and fibrosis in mice infected with Schistosoma japonicum.
abstract: In schistosomiasis, egg-induced hepatic granuloma formation is a cytokine-mediated, predominantly CD4(+) Th2 immune response that can give rise to hepatic fibrosis. Hepatic fibrosis is the main cause of increased morbidity and mortality in humans with schistosome infection. Taurine has various physiological functions and hepatoprotective properties as well as anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activity. However, little is known about the role of taurine in schistosome egg-induced granuloma formation and fibrosis. We aimed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of taurine as preventative treatment for Schistosoma japonicum infection. Mice infected with S. japonicum cercariae were supplied with taurine drinking water (1% w/v) for 4 weeks starting at 4 weeks post-infection. Taurine supplementation significantly improved the liver pathologic findings, reduced the serum levels of aminotransferases and area of hepatic granuloma, and prevented fibrosis progression. In addition, taurine decreased the expression of the granulomatous and fibrogenic mediators transforming growth factor β1, tumor necrosis factor α, monocyte chemotactic protein 1α and macrophage inflammatory protein 1α as well as the endoplasmic reticulum stress marker glucose-regulated protein 78. Thus, taurine can significantly attenuate S. japonicum egg-induced hepatic granuloma and fibrosis, which may depend in part on the downregulation of some relevant cytokine/chemokines and reducing the endoplasmic reticulum stress response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China. Electronic address: yuyr@bjmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yan-Rong
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China.
authors.forename: Xian-Qiang
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China.
authors.forename: Yong-Hong
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China; Laboratory of Cardiovascular Bioactive Molecule, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China; Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Science, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, China. Electronic address: yongfenqi@163.com.
authors.forename: Yong-Fen
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Qi
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D058487:Cercaria; D018925:Chemokines / Q000235:genetics; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics; D060766:Drinking Water; D006099:Granuloma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology; D051379:Mice; D010270:Parasite Egg Count; D012549:Schistosoma japonicum / Q000187:drug effects; D012554:Schistosomiasis japonica / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D013654:Taurine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000637:Transaminases / Q000097:blood; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000235:genetics; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D018925:Chemokines; D016207:Cytokines; D060766:Drinking Water; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D013654:Taurine; D000637:Transaminases
keywords: Fibrosis; Granuloma; Schistosoma japonicum; Schistosomiasis; Taurine