[Taurine is a possible anti-atherosclerotic agent]

Atherosclerosis-related ischemic heart diseases are the principal cause of death in the last few years. Recently, several reports implicated that taurine, sulfur-containing beta-amino acid, prevented the progression of atherosclerosis through various anti-pathogenetic modifications. Firstly, taurine treatment inhibited lipid peroxidation and/or lowered serum LDL/VLDL cholesterol and elevated HDL, and as a result, it prevented lipid accumulation on the aortic valve in hypercholesterolaemic animals. Secondly, taurine administration prevented endothelial dysfunction, one of the initial events in the formation of lesions of atherosclerosis, through the amelioration of the impairment of monocyte function. Thirdly, while it is well known that taurine scavenges hypochlorous acid (HOCl) produced by myeloperoxidase in neutrophils and macrophages, recent studies revealed that HOCl was one of the major factors oxidizing LDL, implying that the anti-oxidative role of taurine contributes to the anti-atherosclerotic effect. Additionally, TauCl, produced by the reaction of taurine with HOCl, inhibits the activation of NF-kappaB followed by the inhibition of the production of the pro-inflammatory mediators.