TY - JOUR
T1 - Human taurine metabolism: fluxes and fractional extraction rates of the gut, liver, and kidneys
AU - van Stijn, Mireille F. M.
AU - Vermeulen, Mechteld A. R.
AU - Siroen, Michiel P. C.
AU - Wong, Leanne N.
AU - van den Tol, M. Petrousjka
AU - Ligthart-Melis, Gerdien C.
AU - Houdijk, Alexander P. J.
AU - van Leeuwen, Paul A. M.
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - Taurine is involved in numerous biological processes. However, taurine plasma level decreases in response to pathological conditions, suggesting an increased need. Knowledge on human taurine metabolism is scarce and only described by arterial-venous differences across a single organ. Here we present taurine organ fluxes using arterial-venous concentration differences combined with blood flow measurements across the 3 major organ systems involved in human taurine metabolism in patients undergoing hepatic surgery. In these patients, we collected blood from an arterial line, portal vein, hepatic vein, and renal vein, and determined blood flow of the hepatic artery, portal vein, and renal vein using Doppler ultrasound. Plasma taurine was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography, and net organ fluxes and fractional extraction rates were calculated. Seventeen patients were studied. No differences were found between taurine concentrations in arterial, portal venous, hepatic venous, and renal venous plasma. The only significant finding was a release of taurine by the portally drained viscera (P = .04). Our data show a net release of taurine by the gut. This probably is explained by the enterohepatic cycle of taurine. Future studies on human taurine metabolism are required to determine whether taurine is an essential aminosulfonic acid during pathological conditions and whether it should therefore be supplemented
AB - Taurine is involved in numerous biological processes. However, taurine plasma level decreases in response to pathological conditions, suggesting an increased need. Knowledge on human taurine metabolism is scarce and only described by arterial-venous differences across a single organ. Here we present taurine organ fluxes using arterial-venous concentration differences combined with blood flow measurements across the 3 major organ systems involved in human taurine metabolism in patients undergoing hepatic surgery. In these patients, we collected blood from an arterial line, portal vein, hepatic vein, and renal vein, and determined blood flow of the hepatic artery, portal vein, and renal vein using Doppler ultrasound. Plasma taurine was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography, and net organ fluxes and fractional extraction rates were calculated. Seventeen patients were studied. No differences were found between taurine concentrations in arterial, portal venous, hepatic venous, and renal venous plasma. The only significant finding was a release of taurine by the portally drained viscera (P = .04). Our data show a net release of taurine by the gut. This probably is explained by the enterohepatic cycle of taurine. Future studies on human taurine metabolism are required to determine whether taurine is an essential aminosulfonic acid during pathological conditions and whether it should therefore be supplemented
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.metabol.2011.12.005
DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.metabol.2011.12.005
M3 - Article
C2 - 22304837
SN - 0026-0495
VL - 61
SP - 1036
EP - 1040
JO - Metabolism: Clinical and Experimental
JF - Metabolism: Clinical and Experimental
IS - 7
ER -