Effects of Taurine and Vitamin D on Antioxidant Enzyme Activity and Lipids Profiles in Rats Fed Diet Deficient Calcium

Abstract

Calcium deficiency is a worldwide problem affecting both developed and developing countries. The deficiency in calcium leads to a marked decrease of superoxide dismutase. It is known that vitamin D protects cells against oxidative damages while taurine plays an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant role. In this study, we examined whether vitamin D and taurine supplementation had a protective effect on oxidative stress in rats fed calcium deficient diet. Female SD rats (mean weight 60 ∼ 70 g) were divided into four groups; control, taurine, vitamin D, taurine + vitamin D for 6 weeks (taurine: 2 g/100 g diet, vitamin D: 0.5 mg/100 g diet). We then analyzed the level of triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C), HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) in serum and level of TC, TG in liver. We investigated antioxidative enzyme activities such as catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). We observed that weight gain was not significantly different in the experimental groups. Food efficiency ratio (FER) was significantly higher in the normal control group than the taurine and vitamin D groups (p < 0.05). The level of liver TC was significantly lower in taurine, vitamin D, taurine + vitamin D groups than control group (p < 0.05). The concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) was significantly lower in the taurine group than the control group. The activity of SOD was higher in taurine group than other experimental groups (p < 0.05), but GSH-Px and CAT were not significantly different. In conclusion, taurine has a positive effect on SOD activity but not on vitamin D. Also taurine and vitamin D have a protective effect as observed in liver TC in rats fed with a diet which lacks calcium.

1α,25(OH)2D3 Radiosensitizes Cancer Cells by Activating the NADPH/ROS Pathway

“…On one hand, it maintains the genomic stability of normal cells. First, it promotes the expression of DNA repair protein RAD50 and ATM, and reduces the genetic toxicity caused by chemicals ( Ting et al., 2012 ); second, 1α,25(OH) 2 D 3 promotes SOD, GSH and reduces glutathione reductase to decrease oxidant damage ( Choi and Jung, 2017 ); third, it prevents malignant transformation of prostate epithelial cells by inhibiting oxidant damage ( Bao et al., 2008 ). Most importantly, 1α,25(OH) 2 D 3 protects the lung from radiation-induced injury by inducing the proliferation of type II lung cells and the synthesis of surfactant and reducing the vascular permeability caused by radiation ( Yazici et al., 2011 ).…”

Protective role of taurine against oxidative stress (Review)

“…In an iron-overload murine model of oxidative stress, which mimics features of chronic liver diseases (such as alcoholic liver disease and chronic viral hepatitis), taurine has been shown to reduce the accumulation of ROS, thereby exhibiting strong anti-oxidant activity ( 221 ). In another experimental setting, administration of 2% taurine (2/100 g diet) to rats fed a 50% calcium-deficient diet, has been shown to inhibit LPO in the liver, as compared to control rats ( 222 ). This makes sense if one considers that calcium is a crucial component of cholesterol and lipid metabolism and that taurine has been shown to counteract the effects of oxidative stress by regulating both calcium and lipid homeostasis ( 222 ).…”

Oxidation Resistance of the Sulfur Amino Acids: Methionine and Cysteine

“…It is confirmed that taurine restores the activities of Mn-SOD and GSH-Px in mice mitochondrion after tamoxifen infection [ 48 ]. Furthermore, Choi and Jung [ 49 ] in their studies pointed out that taurine supplementation increased hepatic SOD activity on the calcium deficiency condition, but the activities of GSH-Px and catalase (CAT) were not significantly different between normal mice and calcium deficient mice.…”