The effect of taurine on the salt-dependent blood pressure increase in the voltage-dependent calcium channel beta 3-subunit-deficient mouse
Hagiwara, K.; Kuroki, G.; Yuan, P.Xiang.; Suzuki, T.; Murakami, M.; Hano, T.; Sasano, H.; Yanagisawa, T.
Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology 41 Suppl. 1: S127-S131
2003
ISSN/ISBN: 0160-2446 PMID: 12688409 Document Number: 556037
To examine the anti-hypertensive effect of taurine, we studied the effects of taurine on the salt-dependent blood pressure elevation, the electrocardiogram, and plasma catecholamine levels in the voltage-dependent calcium channel beta3-subunit-deficient mouse. In the wild-type mice, chronic high-salt loading (8% NaCl in chow) did not increase the blood pressure, whereas there was a significant increase in the systolic blood pressure in the beta3-subunit-deficient mice given a high-salt diet. Oral supplementation of taurine (3% in drinking water) could attenuate the increase in the blood pressure elicited by the high-salt diet. Plasma catecholamine levels were significantly decreased by the high-salt diet, and supplementation of taurine prevented those decreases in beta3-subunit-deficient mice. It is suggested, therefore, that chronic supplementation of taurine has an anti-hypertensive action in salt-dependent blood pressure elevation.