숫컷 생쥐에서 타우린 투여에 의한 간내 글루타치온의 감소

Reduction of Hepatic Glutathione by Acute Taurine Treatment in Male Mice

Effect of taurine treatment on metabolism of glutathione (GSH) was studied in adult male ICR mice. An acute injection of taurine (250 mg/kg, ip) resulted in a significant decline of hepatic GSH level at t = 6 hr, but plasma GSH level was not altered. The activity of GSH-related enzyme in livers such as GSH peroxidase, GSSG reductase, GSH S-transferases, γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase or γ- glutamyltranspeptidase, was not affected by taurine at t = 2.5 or 6 hr. Plasma cysteine and cystine levels were elevated rapidly following taurine treatment. Hepatic cysteine level was decreased by taurine, reaching a level approximately 70% of control at t = 4 and 6 hr In conclusion, the results indicate that an acute dose of taurine decreases hepatic GSH level by reducing the availability of cysteine, an essential substrate for synthesis of this tripeptide in liver. It is also suggested that taurine may decrease the cysteine uptake by competing with this S-amino acid for a non-specific amino acid transporter.