Taurine attenuates the damage of lupus nephritis mouse via inactivation of the NF-κB pathway

Taurine is an organic amino acid and a major constituent of bile. With its contribution to various cellular functions, it has demonstrated therapeutic effects in a wide range of diseases. Since there is a lack of literature investigating taurine as a treatment for lupus nephritis (LN), here we examined the potential of taurine as a treatment for LN.

Experiments were carried out using MRL/lpr mice as a model of LN, and C57BL/6 mice were used as negative controls. At 12 weeks old, MRL/lpr mice were divided into four groups and treated with 0, 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight taurine for 5 days. Enalapril is used as a positive control drug. All animals were sacrificed after treatment. LN-induced damage was assessed by proteinuria, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (CRE) levels. The degree of inflammation was assessed by inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels. The degree of oxidative stress was assessed by malondialdehyde (MDA), reactive oxygen species (ROS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (Gpx) levels. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and TUNEL staining assessed histopathological damage and apoptosis, respectively. The levels of Bcl-2, Bax, caspase-3, caspase-9, and NF-κB p65 were detected by western blot.

The data indicated that taurine administration improved kidney functions, reversed cell death, suppressed oxidative stress, and importantly, adjusted the immune response of LN mice to a more balanced state.

These results provide a novel strategy for LN therapy, which may overcome the disadvantages of traditional immunosuppression and hormone treatments with greater efficacy and fewer side effects.