Stimulation of chenodeoxycholic acid excretion in hypercholesterolemic mice by dietary taurine

The effects of dietary taurine on fecal steroid excretion and bile acid pool size were investigated in Jcl: ICR strain mice. The mice were fed on semi-purified diets for five weeks: a cholesterol-free diet (Standard), a lithogenic diet containing 0.5% cholesterol and 0.25% sodium cholate (C-CA) and a lithogenic diet supplemented with 5% taurine (C-CA + 5% taurine). The changes in fecal steroid excretion were studied as a function of time and the bile acid pool size was estimated. Dietary taurine affected fecal bile acid excretion both quantitatively and qualitatively. No change in bile acid pool size was observed. The fecal excretion of bile acids increased in taurine-supplemented mice. The increase in the fecal neutral steroid excretion was less than that in C-CA fed mice. The proportion of chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) and the related bile acids to total bile acids increased both in the fecal bile acids and in the bile acid pool. Therefore, the protective effect of dietary taurine against cholesterol gallstone formation may be related to the stimulation of bile acid synthesis, especially of CDCA and related compounds.