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Santulli G, Kansakar U, Varzideh F, Mone P, Jankauskas SS, Lombardi A. Functional Role of Taurine in Aging and Cardiovascular Health: An Updated Overview. Nutrients 2023; 15:4236. [PMID: 37836520 PMCID: PMC10574552 DOI: 10.3390/nu15194236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Taurine, a naturally occurring sulfur-containing amino acid, has attracted significant attention in recent years due to its potential health benefits. Found in various foods and often used in energy drinks and supplements, taurine has been studied extensively to understand its impact on human physiology. Determining its exact functional roles represents a complex and multifaceted topic. We provide an overview of the scientific literature and present an analysis of the effects of taurine on various aspects of human health, focusing on aging and cardiovascular pathophysiology, but also including athletic performance, metabolic regulation, and neurological function. Additionally, our report summarizes the current recommendations for taurine intake and addresses potential safety concerns. Evidence from both human and animal studies indicates that taurine may have beneficial cardiovascular effects, including blood pressure regulation, improved cardiac fitness, and enhanced vascular health. Its mechanisms of action and antioxidant properties make it also an intriguing candidate for potential anti-aging strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaetano Santulli
- Department of Medicine, Fleischer Institute for Diabetes and Metabolism (FIDAM), Einstein-Mount Sinai Diabetes Research Center (ES-DRC), Einstein Institute for Aging Research, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA; (U.K.); (S.S.J.); (A.L.)
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Division of Cardiology, Wilf Family Cardiovascular Research Institute, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA; (F.V.); (P.M.)
| | - Urna Kansakar
- Department of Medicine, Fleischer Institute for Diabetes and Metabolism (FIDAM), Einstein-Mount Sinai Diabetes Research Center (ES-DRC), Einstein Institute for Aging Research, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA; (U.K.); (S.S.J.); (A.L.)
| | - Fahimeh Varzideh
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Division of Cardiology, Wilf Family Cardiovascular Research Institute, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA; (F.V.); (P.M.)
| | - Pasquale Mone
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Division of Cardiology, Wilf Family Cardiovascular Research Institute, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA; (F.V.); (P.M.)
| | - Stanislovas S. Jankauskas
- Department of Medicine, Fleischer Institute for Diabetes and Metabolism (FIDAM), Einstein-Mount Sinai Diabetes Research Center (ES-DRC), Einstein Institute for Aging Research, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA; (U.K.); (S.S.J.); (A.L.)
| | - Angela Lombardi
- Department of Medicine, Fleischer Institute for Diabetes and Metabolism (FIDAM), Einstein-Mount Sinai Diabetes Research Center (ES-DRC), Einstein Institute for Aging Research, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA; (U.K.); (S.S.J.); (A.L.)
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Dixon TAM, Rhyno ELM, El N, McGaw SP, Otley NA, Parker KS, Buldo EC, Pabody CM, Savoie M, Cockshutt A, Morash AJ, Lamarre SG, MacCormack TJ. Taurine depletion impairs cardiac function and affects tolerance to hypoxia and high temperatures in brook char (Salvelinus fontinalis). J Exp Biol 2023; 226:286891. [PMID: 36728502 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.245092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Physiological and environmental stressors can cause osmotic stress in fish hearts, leading to a reduction in intracellular taurine concentration. Taurine is a β-amino acid known to regulate cardiac function in other animal models but its role in fish has not been well characterized. We generated a model of cardiac taurine deficiency (TD) by feeding brook char (Salvelinus fontinalis) a diet enriched in β-alanine, which inhibits cardiomyocyte taurine uptake. Cardiac taurine levels were reduced by 21% and stress-induced changes in normal taurine handling were observed in TD brook char. Responses to exhaustive exercise and acute thermal and hypoxia tolerance were then assessed using a combination of in vivo, in vitro and biochemical approaches. Critical thermal maximum was higher in TD brook char despite significant reductions in maximum heart rate. In vivo, TD brook char exhibited a lower resting heart rate, blunted hypoxic bradycardia and a severe reduction in time to loss of equilibrium under hypoxia. In vitro function was similar between control and TD hearts under oxygenated conditions, but stroke volume and cardiac output were severely compromised in TD hearts under severe hypoxia. Aspects of mitochondrial structure and function were also impacted in TD permeabilized cardiomyocytes, but overall effects were modest. High levels of intracellular taurine are required to achieve maximum cardiac function in brook char and cardiac taurine efflux may be necessary to support heart function under stress. Taurine appears to play a vital, previously unrecognized role in supporting cardiovascular function and stress tolerance in fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toni-Anne M Dixon
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mount Allison University, Sackville, NB, Canada, E4L 1E4
| | - Emma-Lee M Rhyno
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mount Allison University, Sackville, NB, Canada, E4L 1E4
| | - Nir El
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mount Allison University, Sackville, NB, Canada, E4L 1E4
| | - Samuel P McGaw
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mount Allison University, Sackville, NB, Canada, E4L 1E4
| | - Nathan A Otley
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mount Allison University, Sackville, NB, Canada, E4L 1E4
| | - Katya S Parker
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mount Allison University, Sackville, NB, Canada, E4L 1E4
| | - Elena C Buldo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mount Allison University, Sackville, NB, Canada, E4L 1E4
| | - Claire M Pabody
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mount Allison University, Sackville, NB, Canada, E4L 1E4
| | - Mireille Savoie
- Department of Biology, Mount Allison University, Sackville, NB, Canada, E4L 1E4
| | - Amanda Cockshutt
- Department of Chemistry, Saint Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, NS, Canada, B2G 2W5
| | - Andrea J Morash
- Department of Biology, Mount Allison University, Sackville, NB, Canada, E4L 1E4
| | - Simon G Lamarre
- Departement de Biologie, Université de Moncton, Moncton, NB, Canada, E1A 3E9
| | - Tyson J MacCormack
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mount Allison University, Sackville, NB, Canada, E4L 1E4
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Smith B, Crossley DA, Wang T, Joyce W. No evidence for pericardial restraint in the snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) following pharmacologically-induced bradycardia at rest or during exercise. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2022; 322:R389-R399. [PMID: 35200048 PMCID: PMC9018006 DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00004.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Most animals elevate cardiac output during exercise through a rise in heart rate (fH), whilst stroke volume (VS) remains relatively unchanged. Cardiac pacing reveals that elevating fH alone does not alter cardiac output, which is instead largely regulated by the peripheral vasculature. In terms of myocardial oxygen demand, an increase in fH is more costly than that which would incur if VS instead were to increase. We hypothesized that fH must increase because any substantial rise in VS would be constrained by the pericardium. To investigate this hypothesis, we explored the effects of pharmacologically-induced bradycardia, with ivabradine treatment, on VS at rest and during exercise in the common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) with intact or opened pericardium. We first showed that, in isolated myocardial preparations, ivabradine exerted a pronounced positive inotropic effect on atrial tissue, but only minor effects on ventricle. Ivabradine reduced fH in vivo, such that exercise tachycardia was attenuated. Pulmonary and systemic VS rose in response to ivabradine. The rise in pulmonary VS largely compensated for the bradycardia at rest, leaving total pulmonary flow unchanged by ivabradine, although ivabradine reduced pulmonary blood flow during swimming (exercise x ivabradine interaction, P<0.05). Although systemic VS increased, systemic blood flow was reduced by ivabradine both at rest and during exercise, in spite of ivabradine's potential to increase cardiac contractility. Opening the pericardium had no effect on fH, VS or blood flows before or after ivabradine, indicating that the pericardium does not constrain VS in turtles, even during pharmacologically-induced bradycardia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandt Smith
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, United States
| | - Dane A Crossley
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, United States
| | - Tobias Wang
- Department of Biology- Zoophysiology, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - William Joyce
- Department of Biology- Zoophysiology, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
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