Role of Intracellular Taurine in Monensin-induced Na<SUP>⁢</SUP>, Ca<SUP>⁢⁢ </SUP>Accumulation and Mechanical Dysfunction in Isolated Rat Hearts
Role of Intracellular Taurine in Monensin-induced Na<SUP>⁢</SUP>, Ca<SUP>⁢⁢ </SUP>Accumulation and Mechanical Dysfunction in Isolated Rat Hearts
- Young-hoon Kim Jong-wan Park Myung-suk Kim
- 대한생리학회-대한약리학회
- The Korean Journal of Physiology & Pharmacology
- 제1권 제5호
- 등재여부 : KCI등재
- 1997.01
- 537 - 546 (10 pages)
<P> It has been postulated that the intracellular taurine is co-transported with Na<SUP>⁢</SUP> down a concentration gradient and prevents the intracellular accumulation of sodium. It is therefore, expected that an elevated level of intracellular taurine prevents the sodium-promoted calcium influx to protect the cellular damages associated with sodium and calcium overload. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of intra- and extracellular taurine on the myocardial Na<SUP>⁢</SUP> and Ca<SUP>⁢⁢ </SUP>contents and the cardiac functions in isolated rat hearts which were loaded with sodium by monensin, a Na<SUP>⁢</SUP>-ionophore. Monensin caused a dose-dependent increase in intracellular Na<SUP>⁢</SUP> accompanied with a subsequent increase in intracellular Ca<SUP>⁢⁢</SUP> and a mechanical dysfunction. In this monensin-treated heart, myocardial taurine content was decreased with a concomittent increase in the release of taurine. The monensin-induced increases in intracellular Na<SUP>⁢</SUP>, Ca<SUP>⁢⁢</SUP> and depression of cardiac function were prevented in the hearts of which taurine content had been increased by high-taurine diet. Conversely, in the hearts of which taurine concentration gradient had been decreased by addition of taurine in the perfusate, the monensin-induced increases in Na<SUP>⁢</SUP>, Ca<SUP>⁢⁢</SUP> and functional depression were accelerated. These results suggest that taurine, depending on the intra-extracellular concentration gradient, can affect intracellular sodium and calcium concentrations, and that an increased intracellular taurine may play a role in protection of myocardial dysfunction associated with the sodium and calcium overload.