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Background: Occurrence of low blood taurine concentrations (B‐TauC) and predisposing factors to taurine deficiency in English Cocker Spaniels (ECS) are incompletely understood. Objectives: Investigate the occurrence of low B‐TauC in a Swedish population of ECS and evaluate the association between B‐TauC and dog characteristics, clinical variables, and diet composition. Animals: One‐hundred eighty privately owned ECS. Methods: Dogs were prospectively recruited and underwent physical examination, blood analyses, and echocardiographic and ophthalmic examinations. Dogs with clinical signs of congestive heart failure (CHF) also underwent thoracic radiography. Taurine concentrations were analyzed in plasma (EDTA and heparin) and whole blood. Diets consumed by the dogs at the time of the examination were analyzed for dietary taurine‐ (D‐TauC), cysteine‐ (D‐CysC), and methionine concentrations (D‐MetC). Results: Fifty‐three of 180 dogs (29%) had low B‐TauC, of which 13 (25%) dogs had clinical and radiographic signs of CHF, increased echocardiographic left ventricular (LV) dimensions and volumes, and impaired LV systolic function. Five (9%) dogs with low B‐TauC had retinal abnormalities. Dietary MetC, dietary animal protein source (red/white meat), and age were associated with B‐TauC in the final multivariable regression model (P <.001, R2adj =.39). Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Low B‐TauC suggests that taurine deficiency may play a role in the development of myocardial failure and CHF in ECS. Low D‐MetC and diets with red meat as the animal protein source were associated with low B‐TauC. Dogs with B‐TauC below the normal reference range were older than dogs with normal concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mantle muscle of common cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis, is responsible both for high‐magnitude and rapid movements for locomotion, as well as sustained ventilation, which require specific metabolic, electrophysiological, and structural organization. Young cuttlefish have a highly oxidative phenotype and a rapid growth rate. Here, we show high rates of oxygen consumption and protein synthesis in juveniles, and these rates decay exponentially over the first few weeks of growth. This is associated with considerable citrate synthase activity (relative to larger cuttlefish) but a lack of glucose metabolism based on zero uptake of glucose by isolated muscle sheets and minimal activity of hexokinase (similar to larger animals). In contrast to glucose metabolism in the heart, glucose metabolism in these muscle sheets was not stimulated by extracellular taurine. Previous research revealed an unusual ion channel complement in mantle myocytes, the most notable feature of which is the lack of a Na+ current during depolarization. Because this adaptation is not consistent across the coleoid clade, we investigated excitation–contraction coupling. Here, mantle energetics and contractility, including the individual components of the total Ca2+ flux driving contraction, were studied. Results indicate that the majority of Ca2+ current underlying contractile stress development capacity in cuttlefish juveniles is not mediated by dihydropyridine‐sensitive L‐type channels, in contrast to their adult counterparts, and the sarcoplasmic reticulum contributes little to routine contractility. We had previously noted an influence of physiological levels of taurine in limiting cardiac contractility but found no analogous sensitivity in mantle muscle. Finally, transmission electron microscopy of subcellular architecture revealed the presence of sarcoplasmic tubular aggregates, suggesting that oxidative inhibition of sarcoplasmic reticulum function limits its role in this life stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Objectives Methods Results Conclusion Aging skin, exacerbated by external factors like UV radiation and pollutants, is a major cosmetic concern. Taurine, renowned for its antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory properties, may combat skin aging. We performed mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to investigate the causal link between taurine and immune cells linked to skin aging.To investigate the association between taurine and immune cells using mendelian randomization, to thereby explore the mechanism through which taurine exerts anti‐aging effects on the skin via immune modulation.A MR approach was employed using taurine‐level data from the Ieu Open GWAS Project and immunocyte traits from a large European cohort. MR‐Egger regression, weighted median estimation, and inverse variance weighting all provided statistical insights into causality. Sensitivity analyses assessed the heterogeneity and pleiotropy among the genetic instruments used.MR analysis identified a causal relationship between taurine levels and 10 immunocyte phenotypes, with taurine found to be negatively and positively associated with three and seven phenotypes, respectively. Sensitivity analysis revealed no significant heterogeneity or pleiotropy, suggesting reliable MR findings.This study provides insights into the immunological pathways by which taurine contributes to skin anti‐aging effects, suggesting that increasing taurine levels could offer a novel strategy for anti‐aging skincare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The nutritional intake of formula‐fed newborns is often limited to a single source, so it must be supplemented with essential nutrients for the growth and proper development of infants. Taurine, l‐carnitine, and choline are considered conditionally essential nutrients especially in newborns and infants. RESULTS: In this work, a simple routine hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography‐electrospray ionization‐tandem mass spectrometry (HILIC‐ESI‐MS/MS) method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of these semi‐essential nutrients in infant and adult/pediatric milk formulas. The extraction recoveries were between 90% and 114%. Precision of the method offered relative standard deviation below 5% and 7% for intra‐day and inter‐day precision, respectively. The proposed method was successfully applied to quantification of taurine, l‐carnitine, and choline in milk formula. The contents found were in good agreement with those provided on the product label for almost all samples. CONCLUSION: In view of these results, it can be concluded that the developed method can be a useful approach for the simultaneous determination of taurine, l‐carnitine and choline in powdered milk samples, so it can be useful in the routine quality control of this kind of samples. © 2024 The Author(s). Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about how plasma and whole blood taurine and plasma carnitine correlate to concentrations in skeletal and cardiac muscle and the effects of diet in dogs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation among plasma, skeletal and cardiac muscle carnitine and taurine and whole blood taurine and determine the effect of diet. The study protocol was approved by the Pet Food Solutions Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. Thirty‐three mixed‐breed hounds and 32 beagles were evaluated at Day 0 then removed from their baseline diet and randomized to a test diet: high animal protein, grain‐inclusive (HA‐GI), low animal protein, grain‐free (LA‐GF), low animal protein, grain‐inclusive (LA‐GI), or high animal protein, grain‐free (HA‐GF). Blood was drawn every 30 days and endomyocardial (mixed breeds only) and skeletal muscle biopsies were collected at Days 0 and 180. The correlations between plasma and whole blood taurine, or plasma carnitine and skeletal and cardiac muscle concentrations were weak (p < 0.01–0.05). Mixed‐breed hounds had increased (p = 0.029) whole blood taurine compared to beagles. Plasma taurine was lower with diet HA‐GF, (p = 0.009) however, all diets had increased taurine from Day 0 and were, on average within the laboratory reference range. Dogs fed the HA‐GI diet had increased cardiac muscle carnitine esters (p = 0.014). Increased carnitine esters were also appreciated in cardiac muscle in all diets from Day 0 to 180 (p = 0.0001). On Day 180 mixed‐breed hounds had increased skeletal total carnitine (p < 0.001) compared to all time points and breeds. This study observed no correlation between plasma, whole blood, skeletal and cardiac muscle taurine concentrations but noted some effects between time, breed and diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the revision of the chemical structures of a group of bacterial sulfur-containing aminolipids called cysteinolides. The study used various analytical techniques to determine the absolute stereochemistry of these lipids and found that they have an unusual N,O-acylated cysteic acid head group. The research also mapped the distribution and structural diversity of cysteinolides in different bacteria. The article also discusses the synthesis and structural analysis of sulfonolipids, the purification and analysis of lipid extracts, and the evaluation of the bioactivity of aminosulfonolipids. The findings provide valuable insights into the characteristics and functions of these substances. [Extracted from the article]

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the clinical response to cholestyramine in patients with functional chronic diarrhea and a high clinical suspicion of bile‐acid diarrhea (BAD) investigated with 75‐selenium homocholic acid taurine (SeHCAT) test. Methods: Adult patients attending our outpatient clinic between January and December 2021 for chronic diarrhea with suspicion of BAD were proposed SeHCAT testing and a therapeutic trial of cholestyramine 4–8 g daily. Clinical response to cholestyramine was evaluated at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. Clinical and demographic data were analyzed according to SeHCAT test results. Results: Among the 50 patients with chronic diarrhea and clinical suspicion of BAD, 13 (26.0%) refused either SeHCAT testing or cholestyramine therapy. Finally, 37 patients (31 females, age 44 ± 14 years) agreed to undergo SeHCAT and were started on cholestyramine (median follow‐up 14 months [interquartile range 6–16 months]). Initial response to cholestyramine was similar in patients with positive and negative SeHCAT test results, but improved over time in those with a positive test result. Long‐term response (100% vs 65.2%, P = 0.02) and necessity of maintenance therapy for symptom control were more common in those with positive SeHCAT test result (71.4% vs 26.1%, P = 0.02). However, response to cholestyramine was also frequent in patients with a negative test result. Conclusions: The SeHCAT test accurately identifies patients with BAD who benefit from long‐term cholestyramine treatment. Nevertheless, cholestyramine may be also effective in patients with chronic diarrhea but negative SeHCAT test result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amino acids are indispensable compounds in the body, performing several biological processes that enable proper functioning. In this work, it is demonstrated that a single amino acid, taurine, is also able to promote the ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) of several cyclic monomers under industrially relevant conditions. It is shown that the unique zwitterionic structure of taurine, where the negatively charged sulfonic acid group and the protonated amine group are separated by two methylene groups, not only provides high thermal stability but also leads to a dual activation mechanism, which is corroborated by quantum mechanical calculations. This unique mechanism allows for the synthesis of polylactide of up to 50 kDa in bulk at 180 °C with good end‐group fidelity using a highly abundant catalyst. Furthermore, cytotoxicity tests confirm that PLLA synthesized with taurine is non‐toxic. Moreover, it is demonstrated that the presence of taurine does not have any detrimental effect on the thermal stability of polylactide, and therefore polymers can be used directly without any post‐polymerization purification. It is believed that the demonstration that a simple structure composed of a single amino acid can promote polymerization can bring a paradigm shift in the preparation of polymers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estrus identification is one of the common issues in buffaloes because of their short estrus duration and silent estrus problem. Hence, specific biomarkers facilitating in identifying the estrus stage would be helpful to buffalo farmers and researchers. In our previous studies, taurine, a non-protein amino acid that helps in the secretion of reproductive hormones such as GnRH, was found to be associated with postpartum anestrus in buffaloes. Therefore, the present study was conducted to explore the level of taurine in serum during different stages of the oestrous cycle in healthy cyclic buffaloes. Blood samples were collected from healthy cyclic buffaloes (n = 4), and taurine was estimated at the estrus (0th day), proestrus (-2nd day), metestrus (3rd day) and diestrus (+10th day) stages using TLC method. The days of the oestrous cycle were determined by ultrasonography and observation of behavioural signs by trained professionals. The results revealed that taurine was consistently present in the serum. However, the highest concentration of taurine was observed at the proestrus (0.20 ± 0.03 mg/mL) stage, which was greater (p < .05) than metestrus (0.10 ± 0.05 mg/mL) and diestrus (0.13 ± 0.03 mg/mL) stages, but comparable with the estrus stage. These results were also validated in the simulated population datasets of population size 6 to 10,000. Further, ROC curve analysis for the large simulated population indicated the efficiency of taurine to distinguish proestrus from metestrus and diestrus stages at a lower cutoff value of <0.1643 mg/mL with 60% sensitivity and specificity. Therefore, the present study concludes that serum taurine concentration could help in detecting proestrus stage of buffalo estrous cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to develop a potential biomaterial for neuroregeneration by the electrospinning of the biocompatible polymer polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) with innovative functionalized boron nitride quantum dots (F‐BNQDs) synthesized via green chemistry using the amino acid taurine as a functionalization. The F‐BNQDs were characterized and were found to be 16–21 nm in diameter, showed good photoluminescent characteristics, and their elemental composition was confirmed by x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR), and ultraviolet spectroscopy. The PVDF with F‐BNQDs was prepared at three different concentrations, and the resulting electrospun fibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, FTIR, thermogravimetric analysis, contact angle, biodegradation, water uptake, Schwann cell cytotoxicity, and cell behavior studies. The results of the study showed that the addition of F‐BNQDs to PVDF resulted in enhanced mechanical properties, decreased contact angle, increased degradability, and water uptake. The lactate dehydrogenase assay revealed that 5% BN‐PVDF had the lowest cytotoxicity. Fluroscent 4',6‐diamidino‐2‐phenylindole (DAPI) staining showed that the increase in F‐BNQD concentration up to 5% BN‐PVDF enhanced cell behavior on the electrospun fibers. Therefore, the study concluded that 5% BN‐PVDF would be suitable for further testing as a potential biomaterial for neuroregeneration in vivo. Highlights: Functionalized boron nitride quantum dots (F‐BNQDs) were prepared using amino acid taurine.The F‐BNQDs were characterized and electrospun with polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF).The incorporation of F‐BNQDs to PVDF has enhanced its physicochemical properties.All samples showed a single βphase PVDF.Schwann cells showed excellent compatibility and cell adhesion on F‐BNQDs/PVDF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Despite its abundance in pancreatic islets of Langerhans and proven antihyperglycemic effects, the impact of the essential amino acid, taurine, on islet β‐cell biology has not yet received due consideration, which prompted the current studies exploring the molecular selectivity of taurine import into β‐cells and its acute and chronic intracellular interactions. Methods: The molecular aspects of taurine transport were probed by exposing the clonal pancreatic BRIN BD11 β‐cells and primary mouse and human islets to a range of the homologs of the amino acid (assayed at 2–20 mM), using the hormone release and imaging of intracellular signals as surrogate read‐outs. Known secretagogues were employed to profile the interaction of taurine with acute and chronic intracellular signals. Results: Taurine transporter TauT was expressed in the islet β‐cells, with the transport of taurine and homologs having a weak sulfonate specificity but significant sensitivity to the molecular weight of the transporter. Taurine, hypotaurine, homotaurine, and β‐alanine enhanced insulin secretion in a glucose‐dependent manner, an action potentiated by cytosolic Ca2+ and cAMP. Acute and chronic β‐cell insulinotropic effects of taurine were highly sensitive to co‐agonism with GLP‐1, forskolin, tolbutamide, and membrane depolarization, with an unanticipated indifference to the activation of PKC and CCK8 receptors. Pre‐culturing with GLP‐1 or KATP channel inhibitors sensitized or, respectively, desensitized β‐cells to the acute taurine stimulus. Conclusion: Together, these data demonstrate the pathways whereby taurine exhibits a range of beneficial effects on insulin secretion and β‐cell function, consistent with the antidiabetic potential of its dietary low‐dose supplementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In ovo application is the process of administering some nutrients or components into the egg. The main purpose of this application is to ensure that some nutrients are provided to chicks with a short incubation period. Few studies were conducted with taurine in fertile eggs; especially, no observation of hatchability and chick quality has been found. In addition, taurine has an anti‐stress impact that fights oxidative factors. Objective: To assess the hatchability and chick quality after in ovo taurine administration. To determine the stress that may occur as a result of in ovo application and whether taurine has a stress‐reducing effect. Methods: A total of 1200 fertile eggs from a 34‐week‐old broiler breeder (Ross 308) flock were categorized into 4 groups with 75 eggs per replicate: control (uninjected), taurine group (0.30 mL dissolved taurine in distilled water), sham control (sterile distilled water) and perforation (eggs perforated and then waxed). On day 14 of incubation, an in ovo injection was administered to the albumen. Data on hatching parameters and hepatic HSP70 levels were obtained using relevant formulas and western blotting, respectively. Results: Control chicks exhibited higher hatchability than other groups, with the taurine group showing the lowest hatchability. The HSP70 levels were the highest in the perforation group compared to the control group. An increase of 21.37% in the taurine group and 83.45% in the sham control group was observed compared to the control group. Conclusions: The findings suggest that in ovo application may induce increased stress, whereas taurine may have positive effects in mitigating the stress caused by in ovo application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ferroptosis plays a key role in placental development and physiology, and abnormal ferroptosis has been implicated in trophoblast injury leading to preeclampsia (PE). We hypothesize that leukocytes isolated from PE exhibit increased ferroptosis and that extracellular vesicles contain long non‐coding (lnc) RNA/mRNAs that modulate oxidative stress and iron toxicity in vascular endothelial cells. Methods: We measured the expression of key regulators of ferroptosis in leukocytes and extracellular vesicles as well as circulating biomarkers of iron homeostasis and oxidative stress in plasma from women with/without PE at different timepoints during pregnancy. For markers that were dysregulated, we assessed their temporal correlation with established markers of disease activity and marker of endothelial activation. For markers dysregulated in early pregnancy, we assessed their ability to predict the development of PE. Results: We found decreased lncRNA/mRNAs in leukocytes, but not extracellular vesicles, in PE that may modulate oxidative stress and iron toxicity. This decrease in anti‐ferroptotic markers does not appear to be related to maternal disease activity or plasma oxidative stress status but rather to attenuated anti‐inflammatory expression in these cells. Circulating ferritin was elevated in PE, supporting the hypothesis that PE represents a disbalance in iron homeostasis. Low lncRNA taurine upregulated gene 1 RNA levels in leukocytes at 22–24 weeks were strongly associated with the development of PE. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that maternal leukocytes in PE show decreased anti‐ferroptotic activity that correlates with anti‐inflammatory expression. Moreover, some of these changes in ferroptotic activity appear to precede the development of PE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three‐spot seahorse (Hippocampus trimaculatus) has been consumed as traditional Chinese medicine in Asian society. This study was designed to analyze the bioactive compounds of the solvent extracts from cultured three‐spot seahorse by high pressure liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC‐ESI/MS/MS). Subsequently, their biological activities were evaluated and confirmed by cell modes and Western blot analysis. Experimental results indicated that taurine and arginine were the primary bioactive compounds identified and quantified without pre‐ or post‐column derivatization within 20 min retention time. The analytical method was established and validated with intraday/interday RSD from 0.25% to 3.34% and with recovery from 87.8% to 91.2%. As compared to other extracts, water layer extract (WLE) contained the most taurine and arginine contents of 6.807 and 0.437 mg/g (dry basis), respectively. In the meanwhile, WLE also showed anti‐inflammatory activity on LPS‐induced NO production and inhibited the protein expression of TNF‐α and COX‐2 by Western blot analysis with better cell viability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor‐associated macrophages (TAMs) play an essential role in tumor therapeutic resistance. Although the lethal effect of ferroptosis on tumor cells is well reported, how TAMs inhibit the effect of ferroptosis in tumors has not been clearly defined. In this study, it is demonstrated that TAM‐secreted taurine suppresses ferroptosis in prostate cancer (PCa) by activating the Liver X receptor alpha/Stearoyl‐Coenzyme A desaturase 1 (LXRα/SCD1) pathway. Blocking taurine intake via inhibition of taurine transporter TauT restores the sensitivity to ferroptosis in tumors. Furthermore, LXRα activates the transcription of both miR‐181a‐5p and its binding protein FUS to increase the recruitment of miR‐181a‐5p in tumor‐derived extracellular vesicles (EVs). It is observed that macrophages appear to be recipient cells of the miR‐181a‐5p‐enriched EVs. Intake of miR‐181a‐5p in macrophages promotes their M2 polarization and enhances the taurine export by inhibiting expression of its target gene lats1, which in turn inactivates the hippo pathway and results in a Yes‐associated protein (YAP) nuclear translocation for transcriptional activation of both M2 polarization‐related genes such as ARG1 and CD163 and the taurine transport gene TauT. Taken together, the findings indicate a reciprocal interaction between PCa cells and TAMs as a positive feedback‐loop to repress ferroptosis in PCa, mediated by TAM‐secreted taurine and tumor EV‐delivered miR‐181a‐5p. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stayability (STAY) is a way to evaluate the productive longevity of females. Measuring the STAY at each cow calving allows earlier indicators of longevity to be obtained. Our objective with this study was to verify the association between STAY and consecutive calvings and traits potentially used as selection criteria in beef cattle, such as age at first calving (AFC), days to calving (DC), weaning weight (WW), and yearling weight (YW). Data from the Nelore, Angus/Brangus, and Hereford/Braford breeds were used. The estimation of variance components and subsequent prediction of breeding values were performed for all traits. The estimated breeding values (EBV) were used to analyse the association between STAY and the other traits. The Pearson's correlation estimated between the EBV for the intercept coefficient for STAY to consecutive calvings and those of AFC, DC, WW (direct and maternal effects), and YW was favourable and of low magnitude (<0.25) depending on the breed studied. The influence of the genetic merit of AFC on the chance of selection for STAY was favourable and relevant regardless of the intensity of selection and breed. DC and WW (maternal effect) traits were favourably influenced by the chance of selection for STAY, irrespective of breed. The WW (direct effect) did not affect the chance of selection for STAY for the Nelore and Hereford/Braford breeds and negatively influenced, but to a small extent, the Angus/Brangus breed. For YW, an increase in genetic merit affected the chances of selection for STAY, depending on the breed and selection intensity evaluated. The influence of the genetic merit for AFC, DC, and WW (maternal effect) on the chance of selection for STAY to consecutive calvings was favourable and relevant regardless of the selection intensity scenario evaluated. The WW (direct effect) did not influence the chance of selection for STAY. For the scenario with high selection intensity, the selection for YW favourably influenced the chance of selection for STAY in Angus/Brangus and Hereford/Braford breeds but not in Nelore. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solubility and metastable zone width (MSZW) are the basis for purifying products by crystallization. The effects of two process impurities, sodium isethionate (SI) and sodium N‐(β‐ethyl sulfonic acid) aminoethyl sulfonate (SA), on taurine solubility and MSZW in water under different conditions were studied. Solubility and MSZW were measured by laser transmission method. The results show that the process impurities can increase solubility slightly but increase MSZW significantly. The weak solubilization might be due to the antagonism of salting‐out effect and structural similarity between taurine and impurities. Combining the viscosities and parameters calculated by nucleation models, the reason for the different effects of the two impurities on MSZW was studied. The fitting and experiment results show that the solid–liquid interfacial energy γeff was increased by 9.1% and the viscosity by 5.4% at 303.15 K in the presence of SI (0.12 mol per kilo H2O). Meanwhile, γeff was increased by 90.4% and the viscosity by 10.5% with SA added (0.12 mol per kilo H2O). Changes in thermodynamic factors (solubility, γeff) and kinetic factors (viscosity) caused by impurities contribute to the extension of MSZW. This study expands the understanding of the role of process impurities in taurine crystallization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To improve the detection and subsequent estimation of the diffusion properties of strongly J‐coupled metabolites in diffusion‐weighted MRS (DWS). Methods: A new sequence for single‐voxel diffusion‐weighted 1H MR spectroscopy, named DW‐SPECIAL, is proposed. It combines the semi‐adiabatic SPECIAL sequence with a stimulated echo diffusion block. Acquisitions with DW‐SPECIAL and STE‐LASER, the current gold standard for rodent DWS experiments at high fields, were performed at 14.1T on phantoms and in vivo on the rat brain. The apparent diffusion coefficient and intra‐stick diffusivity (Callaghan's model, randomly‐oriented sticks) were fitted and compared between the sequences for glutamate, glutamine, myo‐inositol, taurine, total NAA, total Cho, total Cr, and the macromolecules. Results: The shorter TE achieved with DW‐SPECIAL (18 ms against 33 ms with STE‐LASER) substantially limited the metabolites' signal loss caused by J‐evolution. In addition, DW‐SPECIAL preserved the main advantages of STE‐LASER: absence of cross‐terms, diffusion time during a stimulated echo, and limited sensitivity to B1 inhomogeneities. In vivo, compared to STE‐LASER, DW‐SPECIAL yielded the same spectral quality and reduced the Cramer Rao Lower Bounds for J‐coupled metabolites, irrespective of the b‐value. DW‐SPECIAL also reduced the SD of the metabolites' diffusion estimates based on individual animal fitting without loss of accuracy compared to the fit on the averaged decay. Conclusion: We conclude that due to its reduced TE, DW‐SPECIAL can serve as an alternative to STE‐LASER when strongly J‐coupled metabolites like glutamine are investigated, thereby extending the range of accessible metabolites in the context of DWS acquisitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The broad contemporary applications of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been associated with various toxicities including reproductive toxicity. Taurine is well acknowledged for its potent pharmacological role in numerous disease models and chemically‐mediated toxicity. We investigated the effect of taurine on AgNPs‐induced reproductive toxicity in male rats. The animals were intraperitoneally injected with AgNPs (200 μg/kg) alone or co‐administered with taurine at 50 and 100 mg/kg for 21 successive days. Exogenous taurine administration significantly abated AgNPs‐induced oxidative injury by decreasing the levels of oxidative stress indices while boosting antioxidant enzymes activities and glutathione level in the hypothalamus, testes and epididymis of exposed animals. Taurine administration alleviated AgNPs‐induced inflammatory response and caspase‐3 activity, an apoptotic biomarker. Moreover, taurine significantly improved spermiogram, reproductive hormones and the marker enzymes of testicular function in AgNPs‐treated animals. The ameliorative effect of taurine on pathological lesions induced by AgNPs in the exposed animals was substantiated by histopathological data. This study provides the first mechanistic evidence that taurine supplementation affords therapeutic effect against reproductive dysfunction associated with AgNPs exposure in male rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effect of taurine (TAU) on the muscle fiber type transformation in porcine myoblasts and its molecular mechanisms. The findings revealed that TAU augmented the protein expression of slow MyHC and the enzyme activities of oxidative metabolism markers like malate dehydrogenase and succinic dehydrogenase. Conversely, it curtailed the expression of fast MyHC and glycolytic metabolism enzyme activity of lactate dehydrogenase. Moreover, TAU elevated the expression of genes associated with oxidative fiber while diminishing the expression of those linked to glycolytic fibers, suggesting that TAU promoted the muscle fiber type transformation from glycolytic fiber to oxidative fiber. Additionally, TAU notably enhanced the expression of key molecules of calcineurin (CaN)/nuclear factor of activated T cells c1 (NFATc1) signaling and the CaN activity in porcine myoblasts. However, CaN inhibitor cyclosporine A abolished these effects induced by TAU. Our results indicated that TAU regulated the muscle fiber type transformation from glycolytic to oxidative fiber by activation of CaN/NFATc1 signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfur‐33(33S) stable‐isotope labeled taurine, 2‐aminoethanesulfonic acid, has been synthesized, and a series of solution and solid‐state 33S nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments at 14.1 and 18.8 T, respectively, have been carried out at room temperature. The single peak of a solution 33S NMR spectrum in 0.1‐mM [33S]‐taurine in D2O can be observed with the signal‐to‐noise (S/N) ratio of 9 in 40,000 scans, which paves the way toward in vivo analysis of pharmacokinetics and metabolism of 33S‐labeled taurine. Undistorted magic‐angle‐spinning (MAS) and static 33S NMR spectra of polycrystalline [33S]‐taurine are observed with sufficient S/N ratios for analysis, and the magnitudes of 33S EFG and CS tensors can be obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adverse effect of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on the nervous system is an emerging concern of public interest globally. Taurine, an essential amino acid required for neurogenesis in the nervous system, is well‐documented to possess antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, and antiapoptotic activities. Yet, there is no report in the literature on the effect of taurine on neurotoxicity related to AgNPs exposure. Here, we investigated the neurobehavioral and biochemical responses associated with coexposure to AgNPs (200 µg/kg body weight) and taurine (50 and 100 mg/kg body weight) in rats. Locomotor incompetence, motor deficits, and anxiogenic‐like behavior induced by AgNPs were significantly alleviated by both doses of taurine. Taurine administration enhanced exploratory behavior typified by increased track plot densities with diminished heat maps intensity in AgNPs‐treated rats. Biochemical data indicated that the reduction in cerebral and cerebellar acetylcholinesterase activity, antioxidant enzyme activities, and glutathione level by AgNPs treatment were markedly upturned by both doses of taurine. The significant abatement in cerebral and cerebellar oxidative stress indices namely reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, hydrogen peroxide, and lipid peroxidation was evident in rats cotreated with AgNPs and taurine. Further, taurine administration abated nitric oxide and tumor necrosis factor‐alpha levels cum myeloperoxidase and caspase‐3 activities in AgNPs‐treated rats. Amelioration of AgNPs‐induced neurotoxicity by taurine was confirmed by histochemical staining and histomorphometry. In conclusion, taurine via attenuation of oxido‐inflammatory stress and caspase‐3 activation protected against neurotoxicity induced by AgNPs in rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A structural variant (SV) in the agouti signaling protein gene (ASIP), namely ASIP‐SV1, has been found to strongly correlate with the darkness of hair coat in specific regions of the body of bulls from the zebu (Bos indicus) Nellore breed. Here we visually analyzed the whole‐genome sequence of zebu and taurine (Bos taurus) cattle to elucidate the extent of spread of ASIP‐SV1 in different cattle populations. Of 216 sequences analyzed, 63 zebu (45.9%) and five taurine (6.3%) animals had at least one copy of ASIP‐SV1. Four of the taurine animals presenting the SV were Romagnola cattle, a breed with history of zebu introgression. The remaining taurine animal was a Simmental, a breed frequently used in crossbreeding. These data provide evidence that ASIP‐SV1 is commonly found in zebu populations, in addition to taurine animals with zebu admixture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taurine (Tau) is a special sulphur‐containing amino acid and has been widely used as a dietary supplement. Although Tau exists in lymphocytes in large quantities, the physiological significance of Tau to modulate human immunity is unknown. In the present study, we first found that Tau regulates the B‐cell receptor (BCR)‐mediated signal transduction and induces the B cells activation. The IgG production of mice after ovalbumin immunization was also increased by Tau administration. Moreover, the isothermal titration calorimetry and surface plasmon resonance analysis have shown that Tau specifically bound to the IgG2a‐BCR. The Tau could bind to IgG F(ab′)2 regions via fluorescence spectroscopy analysis. In the molecular docking analysis, Tau bound to the framework regions (FRs) of variable region of the heavy chains (VH) and in the light chains (VL) of IgG2a‐BCR. Our results suggested that Tau could improve the activation of B cells by interaction with the VH/VL FRs of BCR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The semi‐essential ubiquitous amino acid taurine has been shown to alleviate obesity and hyperglycemia in humans; however, the pathways underlying the antidiabetic actions have not been characterized. We explored the effect of chronic taurine exposure on cell biology of pancreatic islets, in degenerative type 1‐like diabetes. The latter was modeled by small dose of streptozotocin (STZ) injection for 5 days in mice, followed by a 10‐day administration of taurine (2% w/v, orally) in the drinking water. Taurine treatment opposed the detrimental changes in islet morphology and β‐/α‐cell ratio, induced by STZ diabetes, coincidentally with a significant 3.9 ± 0.7‐fold enhancement of proliferation and 40 ± 5% reduction of apoptosis in β‐cells. In line with these findings, the treatment counteracted an upregulation of antioxidant (Sod1, Sod2, Cat, Gpx1) and downregulation of islet expansion (Ngn3, Itgb1) genes induced by STZ, in a pancreatic β‐cell line. At the same time, taurine enhanced the transdifferentiation of α‐cells into β‐cells by 2.3 ± 0.8‐fold, echoed in strong non‐metabolic elevation of cytosolic Ca2+ levels in pancreatic α‐cells. Our data suggest a bimodal effect of dietary taurine on islet β‐cell biology, which combines the augmentation of α‐/β‐cell transdifferentiation with downregulation of apoptosis. The dualism of action, stemming presumably from the intra‐ and extracellular modality of the signal, is likely to explain the antidiabetic potential of taurine supplementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of taurine on rumen fermentation, rumen bacterial community and metabolomics, nitrogen metabolism and plasma biochemical parameters in beef steers. Six castrated Simmental steers (liveweight 402 ± 34 kg) and three levels of taurine (0, 20, 40 g d−1) were assigned in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design. Each experimental period included 15 days for adaptation and 5 days for sampling. RESULTS: Supplementing taurine did not affect the ruminal pH or concentrations of ammonia nitrogen and volatile fatty acids (P > 0.10), but linearly increased the ruminal concentrations of taurine (P < 0.001) and microbial crude protein (P = 0.041). Supplementing taurine linearly increased the neutral detergent fiber digestibility (P = 0.018), and tended to linearly increase dry matter digestibility (P = 0.095), tended to increase the fecal nitrogen excretion (P = 0.065) and increased the urinary taurine excretion (P < 0.001). Supplementing taurine quadratically increased the plasma concentration of triglycerides (P = 0.017), tended to linearly decrease growth hormone (P = 0.074), but did not affect other plasma parameters (P > 0.10). Supplementing taurine modified the rumen bacterial community and increased the ruminal concentration of taurine metabolite 2‐hydroxyethoxysulfonic acid (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: It was concluded that taurine improved ruminal microbial crude protein synthesis and increased fiber digestibility through modifying rumen bacterial community. It is necessary to clarify the ruminal hydrolysis of taurine in steers. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Initiation and development of early seizures by chemical stimuli is associated with brain cell swelling resulting in edema of seizure‐vulnerable brain regions. We previously reported that pretreatment with a nonconvulsive dose of glutamine (Gln) synthetase inhibitor methionine sulfoximine (MSO) mitigates the intensity of initial pilocarpine (Pilo)‐induced seizures in juvenile rats. We hypothesized that MSO exerts its protective effect by preventing the seizure‐initiating and seizure‐propagating increase of cell volume. Taurine (Tau) is an osmosensitive amino acid, whose release reflects increased cell volume. Therefore, we tested whether the poststimulus rise of amplitude of Pilo‐induced electrographic seizures and their attenuation by MSO are correlated with the release of Tau from seizure‐affected hippocampus. Methods: Lithium‐pretreated animals were administered MSO (75 mg/kg ip) 2.5 h before the induction of convulsions by Pilo (40 mg/kg ip). Electroencephalographic (EEG) power was analyzed during 60 min post‐Pilo, at 5‐min intervals. Extracellular accumulation of Tau (eTau) served as a marker of cell swelling. eTau, extracellular Gln (eGln), and extracellular glutamate (eGlu) were assayed in the microdialysates of the ventral hippocampal CA1 region collected at 15‐min intervals during the whole 3.5‐h observation period. Results: The first EEG signal became apparent at ~10 min post‐Pilo. The EEG amplitude across most frequency bands peaked at ~40 min post‐Pilo, and showed strong (r ~.72–.96) temporal correlation with eTau, but no correlation with eGln or eGlu. MSO pretreatment delayed the first EEG signal in Pilo‐treated rats by ~10 min, and depressed the EEG amplitude across most frequency bands, to values that remained strongly correlated with eTau (r >.92) and moderately correlated (r ~ −.59) with eGln, but not with eGlu. Significance: Strong correlation between attenuation of Pilo‐induced seizures and Tau release indicates that the beneficial effect of MSO is due to the prevention of cell volume increase concurrent with the onset of seizures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high incidence of oxidative stress in sows during late gestation and lactation affects mammary gland health, milk yield, and milk quality. Recently, we found that supplementing maternal diets with 1% taurine improved antioxidant capability and enhanced growth performance in offspring; however, the mechanisms underlying these are unknown. This study aimed to investigate the cytoprotective effects and the mechanism of taurine in mitigating oxidative stress in porcine mammary epithelial cells (PMECs). PMECs were pretreated with 0–2.0 mM taurine for 12 h and then subjected to oxidative injury with 500 μM hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Pretreatment with taurine attenuated decreased cell viability, enhanced superoxide dismutase, and reduced the intracellular reactive oxygen species accumulation after H2O2 exposure. Taurine also prevented H2O2‐induced endoplasmic reticulum stress. Nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2) was essential to the cytoprotective effects of taurine on PMECs, as Nrf2 knockdown significantly inhibited taurine‐induced cytoprotection against oxidative stress. Moreover, we confirmed that Nrf2 induction by taurine was mediated through the inactivation of the p38/MAPK pathway. Overall, taurine supplementation has beneficial effects on redox balance regulation and may protect against oxidative stress in lactating animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is one of the most harmful mycotoxins, which can cause multiple toxicological effects, especially nephrotoxicity in animals and humans. Taurine is an essential amino acid with various biological functions such as anti‐inflammatory and anti‐oxidation. However, the protective effect of taurine on OTA‐induced nephrotoxicity and pyroptosis had not been reported. Our results showed that OTA exposure induced cytotoxicity and oxidative stress in PK‐15 cells, including reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, increased mRNA levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX‐2), and decreased mRNA levels of catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPx1), and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPx4). In addition, OTA treatment induced pyroptosis by increasing the expressions of pyroptosis‐related proteins NLRP3, GSDMD, Caspase‐1 P20, ASC, Pro‐caspase‐1, and IL‐1β. Meanwhile, taurine could alleviate OTA‐induced pyroptosis and cytotoxicity, as well as reduce ROS level, COX‐2, and iNOS mRNA levels, and increase the mRNA levels of the antioxidant enzyme in PK‐15 cells. Taken together, taurine alleviated OTA‐induced pyroptosis in PK‐15 cells by inhibiting ROS generation and altering the activity of antioxidant enzymes, thereby attenuating its nephrotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methionine and taurine are amino acids (AA) that are usually deficient when fish meal is replaced by plant proteins. In this study, three diets were tested in juvenile meagre (initial weight: 13.4 g) for 8 weeks. The D1 diet had 0.2% methionine and 1% taurine supplementation; the D2 and D3 diets had 0.6% methionine and 1% and 2% taurine supplementation, respectively. The results showed that meagre fed the D1 diet had lower specific growth rate (2.2 to 2.5), lower feed efficiency (0.9 to 1.2) and higher food conversion rate (FCR, 1.1 to 0.8) as well as a lower activity of the alanine aminotransferase (ALAT) enzyme. Furthermore, a higher recruitment of muscle fibres (46% compared to 36%) as well as a higher fibre density was observed (1019 compared to 870 fibres mm–2). This study shows that meagre requires a sufficient quantity of methionine in plant‐based diets to avoid a reduction in fish performance. Furthermore, taurine supplementation in the D1 diet was not able to mitigate the effects of methionine deficiency. A higher taurine supplementation did not improve meagre performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liver disorders are one of the principal reasons for mortality in the world. Isotretinoin is a systemic retinoid that has been approved for therapy of acne vulgaris since 1982. This drug causes complications in the body. Evidence suggests that Isotretinoin might cause hepatotoxicity. Our research aimed to study the exact mechanism of hepatotoxicity induced by isotretinoin and the protective role of taurine in this toxicity. Biomarkers such as aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT), superoxide dismutase, glutathione content (GSH), catalase, and malondialdehyde (MDA) were examined. Furthermore, pathological changes were evaluated. The results showed that oral administration of Isotretinoin induced hepatotoxicity as showed by elevation in ALT, AST, and MDA; also, it reduced intracellular GSH in rat liver tissue. Administration of taurine prevented the hepatotoxicity induced by isotretinoin in rats significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The colocalization of taurine and zinc transporters (TAUT, ZnTs) has not been explored in retina. Our objective is to evaluate the effect of the intracellular zinc chelator N,N,N,N‐tetrakis‐(2‐pyridylmethyl) ethylenediamine (TPEN) on zinc localization and colocalization TAUT and ZnT‐1 (of plasma membrane), 3 (vesicular), and 7 (vesicular and golgi apparatus) in layers of retina by immunohistochemistry. To mark zinc, it was used cell‐permeable fluorescent Zinquin ethyl ester. Specific first and secondary antibodies, conjugated with rhodamine or fluorescein‐isothiocyanate were used to mark TAUT and ZnTs. The fluorescence results were reported as integrated optical density (IOD). Zinc was detected in all layers of the retina. The treatment with TPEN produced changes in the distribution of zinc in layers of retina less in the outer nuclear layer compared with the control. TAUT was detected in all layers of retina and TPEN chelator produced decrease of IOD in all layers of retina except in the photoreceptor compared with the control. ZnT 1, 3, and 7 were distributed in all retina layers, with more intensity in ganglion cell layer (GCL) and in the layers where there is synaptic connection. For all transporters, the treatment with TPEN produced significant decrease of IOD in layers of retina least in the inner nuclear layer for ZnT1, in the photoreceptor for ZnT3 and in the GCL and outer plexiform layer for ZnT7. The distribution of zinc, TAUT, and ZnTs in the layers of retina is indicative of the interaction of taurine and zinc for the function of the retina and normal operation of said layers. Highlights: Taurine and zinc are two molecules highly concentrated in the retina and with relevant functions in this structure. Maintaining zinc homeostasis in this tissue is necessary for the normal function of the taurine system in the retina. The study of the taurine transporter and the different zinc transporters in the retina (responsible for maintaining adequate levels of taurine and zinc) is relevant and novel, since it is indicative of the interactions between both molecules in this structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acamprosate (Campral® - calcium-bis[N-acetylhomotaurinate]) is one of few available pharmacotherapies for individuals suffering from alcohol use disorder. Previously, we suggested that acamprosate reduces ethanol intake by increasing dopamine in the nucleus accumbens (nAc), thereby partly substituting for alcohol's dopamine releasing effect. An experimental study suggested the calcium moiety of acamprosate to be the active component of the drug and to mediate the relapse preventing effect. The aim of the present study was to, by means of reversed in vivo microdialysis, elucidate if the dopamine elevating properties of acamprosate are mediated by N-acetylhomotaurine or by the calcium moiety. Male rats were equipped with a microdialysis probe in the nAc and received acute local treatment with regular acamprosate (CaAcamp 0.5 mM), calcium chloride (CaCl2 0.5 mM), sodium acamprosate (NaAcamp 0.5-1 mM), the glycine receptor (GlyR) antagonist strychnine (Stry 20 μM), or vehicle. In all experiments, extracellular levels of dopamine and taurine were examined. We found that local perfusion with both CaAcamp and CaCl2 increased dopamine levels in a GlyR-dependent manner. NaAcamp did not influence dopamine levels, but concomitant administration with CaCl2 resulted in an additive dopamine output compared to the drugs administrated alone. We also found CaAcamp and the combination of CaCl2 and NaAcamp to increase accumbal taurine levels, suggesting that CaAcamp may act indirectly on GlyRs via taurine release. The present results indicate that both N-acetylhomotaurine and the calcium moiety of acamprosate have dopamine elevating properties within the nAc and that, in this respect, these substances are beneficial in combination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our previous study showed that oyster hydrolysate (OH) protected against the liver damage caused by a single instance of ethanol (EtOH) binge drinking. Oyster broth concentrate (OBC) was discovered in the process of searching for a different substance derived from oysters (Crassostrea gigas) with economic value. OBC is a by‐product of boiling oysters at 95°C for 3 min. In this study, we investigated the effects of OBC and its major component taurine on blood and liver tissues obtained from a single‐EtOH‐binge‐drinking mouse model. The preadministration of OBC enhanced EtOH metabolism by increasing the activities of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), and catalase. In addition, the preadministration of OBC reduced cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) activity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, Ca2+ concentrations, apoptotic signals, and inflammatory mediators in liver tissues. The reduction of apoptotic and inflammatory signals by OBC resulted from the downregulation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress molecules and NF‐κB activity. Taurine administration showed similar effects to OBC. These results show that OBC protected against acute EtOH‐induced liver damage through the action of taurine. Our findings suggest that OBC could be an economically valuable substance and a functional food with hepatoprotective effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Amino acids are major components of skin's natural moisturizing factors and play a role in regulating skin hydration and skin pH. Objective: This research examines a proprietary amino acid complex technology (AAComplex) designed to help reduce skin irritation and repair skin damage. Methods: In‐ vitro Scratch Assay HaCaT cells are scratched, and the wounds are imaged at different time points until the closure of the scratch wound is detected. In‐vitro 3D Reconstructed Human Tissue Evaluation The concentration of heat shock protein 27 (HSP‐27) extracted from 3D reconstructed human skin equivalent tissues and IL‐1a released to the media was determined using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays. In Vivo Clinical Study 37 subjects were enrolled in a split‐face study design. On test days 1, 2, 4, and 8, subjects visited the test facility to have their face assessed by facial swabbing and bio‐instrumentation measurements. Results: In‐ vitro Scratch Assay The AAComplex demonstrated a strong cell renewal benefit in the HaCaT (human) cells scratch assay. In Vitro 3D Reconstructed Human Tissue Evaluation AAComplex demonstrated a significant skin repair benefit by quantifying Heat Shock Protein, HSP‐27. Induced skin irritation was significantly reduced by quantifying interleukin‐1 alpha biomarker, IL‐1a. In Vivo Clinical Study The test products delivered skin benefits by reducing visual redness and skin irritation while increasing moisturization. Conclusion: The in vitro and in vivo clinical studies demonstrated that the AAComplex technology formulated in the commercially available Skin Recovery System effectively reduced skin irritation and redness as well as accelerating the skin repair process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted to examine the effects of taurine supplementation on feed intake, growth, feed utilization, body composition, waste output, hepatic antioxidant enzymes, and intestinal microflora of Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides that were fed a low fish meal diet. Three isoproteic (49% crude protein) and isolipidic (9.5% crude lipid) diets were formulated: one diet contained 40% fish meal and served as the control (FM diet), and 60% of the fish meal in the FM diet was replaced by soybean meal either without taurine supplementation (SBM diet) or with 0.5% taurine supplementation (SBM+T diet). Lower feed intake, final body weight, weight gain, condition factor, and hepatosomatic index and a higher feed conversion ratio (FCR) were found in fish that received the SBM diet compared to fish that were fed the FM diet, but no significant difference was found in feed intake, final body weight, weight gain, FCR, condition factor, or hepatosomatic index between fish in the FM and SBM+T diet groups. No significant differences were found in nitrogen retention efficiency, body composition, nitrogen waste, or activities of total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase among fish fed the different test diets, and the alpha diversity of intestinal microbiota also did not differ among diet groups. The abundance of Proteobacteria and Firmicutes increased while the abundance of Fusobacteria decreased in the SBM diet group relative to the FM diet group; in contrast, dietary taurine (SBM+T diet) restored the abundance of Proteobacteria to a level similar to that in fish receiving the FM diet. This study suggests that the dietary fish meal level for Largemouth Bass can be reduced from 40% to 16% if soybean meal is used as an alternative protein with 0.5% taurine supplementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Several case reports have suggested an increased risk of sudden cardiac death due to energy drinks. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess acute electrophysiologic effects of caffeine and taurine, two of the main ingredients of energy drinks, in an experimental whole‐heart model. Methods and Results: Twenty‐five rabbit hearts were excised, retrogradely perfused, and assigned to two groups. Hearts were perfused with caffeine (2, 10, and 50 µM) or taurine (2, 10, and 50 µM) after generating baseline data. Eight monophasic action potentials and electrocardiography recordings showed a significant abbreviation of action potential duration (APD90), QT interval, and effective refractory periods (ERP) after caffeine treatment. With taurine, cardiac repolarization duration and ERP were significantly shortened. A ventricular vulnerability was assessed by a predefined pacing protocol. With caffeine, we observed a trend towards more ventricular arrhythmias in a dose‐dependent manner. After treatment with taurine, significantly more episodes of ventricular arrhythmias occurred. Conclusion: In this experimental whole‐heart study, treatment with caffeine and taurine provoked ventricular arrhythmias. The underlying mechanism was an abbreviation of cardiac repolarizations and effective refractory periods that may facilitate re‐entry and thereby provokes arrhythmias. These findings help to understand the potentially hazardous and fatal outcomes after intoxication with energy drinks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To determine corneal cross‐linking (CXL) efficacy and chromophore penetration after excimer laser‐assisted patterned de‐epithelialization. Methods: Two‐hundred‐twenty porcine eyes were de‐epithelialized ex vivo, either fully (mechanical; n = 88) or patterned (excimer laser; n = 132). Consecutively, corneas were impregnated with hypo‐ or hyperosmolar riboflavin (RF; n = 20, RF‐D; n = 40, respectively) or water‐soluble taurine (WST11; n = 40, and WST‐D; n = 40, respectively), or kept unimpregnated (n = 80). Sixty corneas were subsequently irradiated, inducing CXL, with paired contralateral eyes serving as controls. Outcome measurements included strip extensiometry to assess CXL efficacy, and spectrophotometry and fluorescence microscopy to determine stromal chromophore penetration. Results: All tested chromophores induced significant CXL (p < 0.001), ranging from 7.6% to 14.6%, with similar stiffening for all formulations (p = 0.60) and both de‐epithelialization methods (p = 0.56). Light transmittance was significantly lower (p < 0.001) after full compared with patterned de‐epithelialization. Stromal chromophore penetration was comparable between fully and patterned de‐epithelialized samples, with full penetration in RD and RF‐D samples and penetration depths measuring 591.7 ± 42.8 µm and 592.9 ± 63.5 µm for WST11 (p = 0.963) and 504.2 ± 43.2 µm and 488.8 ± 93.1 µm for WST‐D (p = 0.669), respectively. Conclusions: Excimer laser‐assisted patterned de‐epithelialization allows for effective CXL. Stromal chromophore concentration is, however, reduced, which may have safety implications given the need for sufficient UVA attenuation in RF/UVA CXL. The different safety profile of near‐infrared (NIR) may allow safe WST11/NIR CXL even with reduced stromal chromophore concentration values. In vivo studies are needed to evaluate the benefits and further assess safety of excimer laser‐assisted patterned de‐epithelialization for corneal CXL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four bullfighters stood as MPs in the April 2019 Spanish general elections: Miguel Abellán and Salvador Vega for the PP; and Serafín Martín and Pablo Ciprés for Vox. None was elected, although Abellán and Martín came close. The former's allegiance was rewarded with his political appointment by the PP's Isabel Díaz Ayuso as Director‐General of Madrid's Centre for Taurine Activities. Bullfighters throwing their hats into the political arena is inextricably linked to the escalation of Spain's cultural wars and critically interrogating the ongoing controversies surrounding the future of bullfighting constitutes a privileged lens through which to view increasingly visible fissures in the post‐Franco constitutional order. Using archival materials and ethnographic research alongside an interview conducted with Abellán, this article explores the interrelationship of bullfighting with the Catalan secessionist vote as well as its currency in the struggle between Vox and the PP for the conservative vote. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contribution of domestic cattle in human societies is enormous, making cattle, along with other essential benefits, the economically most important domestic animal in the world today. To expand existing knowledge on cattle domestication and mitogenome diversity, we performed a comprehensive complete mitogenome analysis of the species (802 sequences, 114 breeds). A large sample was collected in South‐east Europe, an important agricultural gateway to Europe during Neolithization and a region rich in cattle biodiversity. We found 1725 polymorphic sites (810 singletons, 853 parsimony‐informative sites and 57 indels), 701 unique haplotypes, a haplotype diversity of 0.9995 and a nucleotide diversity of 0.0015. In addition to the dominant T3 and several rare haplogroups (Q, T5, T4, T2 and T1), we have identified maternal line in Austrian Murbodner cattle that possess surviving aurochs' mitochondria haplotype P1 that diverged prior to the Neolithization process. This is convincing evidence for rare female‐mediated adaptive introgression of wild aurochs into domesticated cattle in Europe. We revalidated the existing haplogroup classification and provided Bayesian phylogenetic inference with a more precise estimated divergence time than previously available. Occasionally, classification based on partial mitogenomes was not reliable; for example, some individuals with haplogroups P and T5 were not recognized based on D‐loop information. Bayesian skyline plot estimates (median) show that the earliest population growth began before domestication in cattle with haplogroup T2, followed by Q (~10.0–9.5 kyBP), whereas cattle with T3 (~7.5 kyBP) and T1 (~3.0–2.5 kyBP) expanded later. Overall, our results support the existence of interactions between aurochs and cattle during domestication and dispersal of cattle in the past, contribute to the conservation of maternal cattle diversity and enable functional analyses of the surviving aurochs P1 mitogenome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Brazil is the largest exporter of beef in the world, and most of that beef derives from Nellore cattle. Although considered a zebu breed (Bos indicus), the history of Nellore cattle in Brazil is marked by the importation of bulls from India, the use of a Creole taurine (Bos taurus) maternal lineage to quickly expand the herds and backcrossing to Nellore bulls to recover zebu ancestry. As a consequence, the current Brazilian Nellore population carries an average taurine ancestry of approximately 1%. Although that percentage seems small, some taurine variants deviate substantially from that average, with the better‐known cases being the PLAG1‐Q haplotype involved with body size variation and the Guarani (PG) polled variant producing hornless animals. Here, we report taurine haplotypes in 9074 Nellore animals genotyped for 539 657 imputed SNP markers. Apart from PLAG1‐Q and PG, our analysis further revealed common taurine haplotypes (>3%) spanning genes related to immunity, growth, reproduction and hair and skin phenotypes. Using data from 22 economically important traits, we showed that many of the major QTL previously reported in the breed are at least partially driven by taurine haplotypes. As B. taurus and B. indicus haplotypes are highly divergent, presenting widely different sets of functional variants, our results provide promising targets for future scrutiny in Nellore cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taurine is a β sulphonic amino acid and is conditionally essential for many fish species. In the present study, the effect of dietary taurine (tau) on Pangasianodon hypophthalmus fry (initial mean weight 0.8 ± 0.6 g) was evaluated by feeding six isonitrogenous (370 g/kg crude protein) and isolipidic (100 g/kg crude lipid) casein‐based purified diets with graded levels of tau at 0 (basal diet), 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 g/kg feed. Fish were randomly stocked in triplicate groups in 100 L plastic tubs and fed to apparent satiation over two feedings at 10.00 and 16.00 hr daily for 45 days. Final weight, weight gain, specific growth rate, and protein efficiency ratio improved significantly (p <.05) with increasing dietary tau up to 15 g/kg feed and plateaued thereafter. Whole‐body protein content did not change beyond tau 15 g/kg feed, but carcass lipid content significantly (p <.05) decreased. The group of fish fed with tau 25 g/kg feed exhibited significantly higher (p <.05) superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione s‐transferase activity. According to the findings of this study, the optimum dietary tau content in P. hypophthalmus fry feed was estimated to be 15.05–16.31 g/kg feed as per the broken‐line regression analysis based on weight gain and nutrient utilization against dietary taurine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: The onset and progression of chronic liver disease (CLD) is a multistage process spanning years or several decades. Some bile acid (BA) features are identified as indicators for CLD progression. However, BAs are highly influenced by various factors and are stage and/or population specific. Emerging evidences demonstrated the association of structure of conjugated BAs and CLD progression. Here, we aimed to investigate the alteration of conjugated BAs and identify new features for CLD progression. Methods: Based on liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry platform, 15 BAs were quantified in 1883 participants including healthy controls and CLD patients (non‐alcoholic fatty liver [NAFL], non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis [NASH], fibrosis, cirrhosis, and three types of liver cancer). Logistic regression was used to construct diagnostic models. Model performances were evaluated in discovery and test sets by area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and kappa index. Results: Five BA glycine : taurine ratios were calculated, and glycocholic acid/taurocholic acid, glycodeoxycholic acid/taurodeoxycholic acid, and glycochenodeoxycholic acid/taurochenocholic acid were identified as candidates. Three diagnostic models were constructed for the differentiation of healthy control and early CLD (NAFL + NASH), early and advanced CLD (fibrosis + cirrhosis + liver cancer), and NAFL and NASH, respectively. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the models ranged from 0.91 to 0.97. The addition of age and gender improved model performances further. The alterations of the candidates and the performances of the diagnostic models were successfully validated by independent test sets (n = 291). Conclusions: Our findings revealed stage‐specific BA perturbation patterns and provided new biomarkers and tools for the monitoring of liver disease progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bisphenol A (BPA) has been documented as a mediator for a number of health effects, including inflammation, oxidative stress, carcinogenicity, and mood dysfunction. The literature on the role of BPA in inducing altered neurobehavioral response and brain morphology and plausible neuroprotective role of taurine against BPA induced oxidative stress mediated neurotoxicity is limited. Therefore, the present experimental paradigm was set for 21 days to expound the neuroprotective efficacy of taurine against BPA‐induced neurotoxicity in zebrafish (Danio rerio) following waterborne exposure. Neurobehavioral studies were conducted by light–dark preference test (LDPT) and novel tank diving test (NTDT). To validate that the neuroprotective efficacy of taurine against BPA‐induced neurotoxicity is associated with the modulation of the antioxidant defense system, we have conducted biochemical studies in zebrafish brain. Changes in brain morphology leading to neurobehavioral variations following co‐supplementation of BPA and taurine were evaluated by Hoechst staining and cresyl violet staining (CVS) in periventricular gray zone (PGZ) of zebrafish brain. Our findings show that taurine co‐supplementation significantly improved the BPA‐induced altered scototaxis and explorative behavior of zebrafish. Further, BPA‐induced augmented oxidative stress was considerably ameliorated by taurine co‐supplementation. Subsequently, our observation also points toward the neuroprotective role of taurine against BPA‐induced neuronal pyknosis and chromatin condensation in PGZ of zebrafish brain. In a nutshell, the findings of the current study show the neuroprotective efficacy of taurine against BPA‐induced oxidative stress‐mediated neurotoxicity. Elucidation of the underlying signaling mechanism of taurine‐mediated neuroprotection would provide novel strategies for the prevention/treatment of BPA‐persuaded serious neurological consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Singlet oxygen (1O2) is the "active principle" in photodynamic therapy. Taurine chloramine (Tau‐NHCl) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) are well‐tolerated and widely used antiseptics. Due to its mild oxidizing features and stability, Tau‐NHCl can be directly used to treat skin diseases. We found that a diluted aqueous mixture of Tau‐NHCl and H2O2 acts as a slow and long‐lasting potential source of 1O2. The reactions were studied by luminol‐enhanced chemiluminescence. Evidence of the formation of 1O2 was obtained using deuterium oxide, sodium azide and 9,10‐Anthracenediyl‐bis(methylene)dimalonic acid, a chemical trap of 1O2. The reaction was optimized, and a mechanism was proposed, including theoretical calculations at B3LYP/6‐311++G(3df,2p) level of theory, adding D3Bj empirical dispersion and SMD (Water) solvent effects. Chloramines produced by the reactions between HOCl and L‐alanine, 3‐amino‐1‐propanesulfonic acid and gamma‐aminobutyric acid were also prepared, and their reactivity and stability were compared with Tau‐NHCl. We found that Tau‐NHCl is more stable and adequate for the production of 1O2. In conclusion, we propose applying these drugs combination as a potential source of 1O2 with applications for skin diseases treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been revealed that di(2‐ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) has toxic impacts on the male reproductive system. Taurine (TAU) is an amino acid with antioxidant property and beneficial impacts on the male reproductive system. In this study, protective impacts of Taurine (TAU) on DEHP‐induced Leydig TM3 cell toxicity were investigated. The cells exposed to DEHP (0.8 µmol) or TAU (100 mg/ml) for 24 hr. Cell viability (MTT assay), apoptosis, oxidative stress and testosterone level were examined. DEHP could significantly decrease the cell viability percentage, reduce testosterone level, increase apoptosis, elevate Bax/ Bcl‐2 ratio and enhance caspase‐3 and ‐9 activity in the TM3 cells. Additionally, DEHP significantly elevated malondialdehyde contents and reactive oxygen species levels. It also augmented superoxide dismutase and catalase activity in the Leydig cells. Co‐treatment of DEHP with TAU increased viability and testosterone level, while oxidative stress and apoptosis significantly reduced. TAU could decrease Bax/Bcl‐2 ratio and caspase‐3 and ‐9 activity in the DEHP‐intoxicated cells. Our results have clearly shown that TAU protects TM3 cells against oxidative stress and apoptosis induced by DEHP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Essential tremor (ET) is one of the most common movement disorders. However, there are currently no accepted biomarkers for ET. This report suggested that concentration of plasma glutamic acid, aspartic acid, and taurine could be biomarkers for ET. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted to investigate the potential adverse effect of Pb on pregnant Sprague–Dawley rats and their fetuses after maternal exposure, on gestational days (GD) 7–16. The possible protective role of taurine (TA), administered throughout the gestation period (GD 1–20) against Pb toxicity, was also evaluated. Pregnant rats were divided into four groups: Group 1 (control) was given distilled water; Group 2 was exposed to Pb (250 ppm) in drinking water (GD 7–16), whereas Group 3 received TA (50 mg/kg/day) by oral gavage (GD 1–20); Group 4 was exposed to Pb (GD 7–16), whereas pretreated with TA from GD 1 till the end of the gestation period. After termination on GD 20, maternal and embryo‐fetal outcomes were evaluated. Blood samples were collected for hematological and biochemical parameters assessment. The results showed that, Pb induced a significant reduction in the maternal body weight, weight gain, uterine and placental weight, in addition to a high incidence of abortion and fetal resorption. Meanwhile, fetuses demonstrated decreased body weight and length, with a high rate of mortality as well as external and skeletal abnormalities. Additionally, Pb induced severe hematological and biochemical alterations in both dams and fetuses. The toxicity of Pb was further emphasized by placental histopathological examination and hepatic DNA fragmentation. Pretreatment with TA greatly attenuated the impact of Pb on both maternal and fetal parameters. Moreover, TA alleviated the incidence of placental damage and hepatic DNA fragmentation. The results highlight the potential prophylaxis role of TA against maternal and developmental Pb toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aims of this study were to evaluate taurine levels in English cocker spaniels with dilated cardiomyopathy and assess their survival time and natural progression of their disease. Materials and Methods: Retrospective comparison of English cocker spaniels with dilated cardiomyopathy phenotype with and without taurine deficiency at the cardiology department of a UK academic referral centre between 2008 and 2018. Results: Taurine plasma concentration was available in 16 English cocker spaniels with dilated cardiomyopathy phenotype; 13 of 16 had congestive heart failure and three of 16 did not. Taurine concentration was low (<50 μmol/L) in 13 of 16 and normal in three of 16. Deficient dogs received taurine supplementation in addition to conventional cardiac medications. Eight dogs were still alive at the end of this study and eight were dead. MST for all dogs included in the study was 2800 days. Left ventricular systolic function improved and left ventricular dimensions reduced in English cocker spaniels with taurine deficiency following taurine supplementation and conventional cardiac therapy, although similar results were observed in English cocker spaniels with normal taurine concentration on cardiac therapy alone. Clinical Significance: Based on laboratory reference intervals, low taurine concentrations were common in English cocker spaniels with dilated cardiomyopathy, showing a possible association between dilated cardiomyopathy in English cocker spaniels and taurine deficiency; supplementation with taurine was not curative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The consumption of energy drinks (Edks) has increased significantly in past years, with a growing market that is estimated to reach $61 billion by 2021 worldwide. Several studies demonstrated the physiological and pathological effects of these substances contained in Edks. The most common ingredient contained in Edks is caffeine, which is commonly mixed with taurine, and B‐group vitamins. Scientific evidence of potentially serious adverse health effects are known, but it would be better to acquire more information regarding these beverages. We systematically checked Medical literature on MEDLINE‐Pubmed from inception to January 2020 to find studies and reports on Edks and adverse events. Edks consumption is specially related to cardiovascular effects as malignant arrhythmias. We found a significant focus on arrhythmogenic risk in patients affected by long QT syndrome or other predisposing conditions for QT elongation. Other pathological effects are known as gastrointestinal, vascular and neurological disorders. Edks, as well as all caffeinated beverages, should be taken with caution or avoided in select populations, such as patients suffering from cardiovascular or neurological illnesses; their use can unmask a sleepy life‐threatening disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]