Glycine administration decreases hepatic taurine content in mice

The administration of glycine (2 mg/g) to mice showed marked increases in the hepatic content of some amino acids, specially glycine, serine and citrulline, but produced a notorious decrease in the concentration of taurine and aspartic acid. The depletion of taurine was higher than 50% after one hour of treatment, and was observed both in neonate and adult mice. The effect produced by the glycine treatment on hepatic taurine content was not observed in the heart, even after a larger amount of glycine administration. The results suggest the existence of an exchange mechanism of transport between glycine and taurine in the liver of mice.