Taurine Inhibits Kupffer Cells Activation Induced by Lipopolysaccharide in Alcoholic Liver Damaged Rats

Taurine, a β free amino-acid, takes various biological functions including maintain the normal hepatic structure and function. In this study, the regulation mechanism of taurine on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced activation of Kupffer cells (KC) in the liver of rats with alcoholic liver disease (ALD) were explored. Male wistar rats were intragastrically administered with alcohol and pyrazole, and ate high-fat diet in order to establish ALD model. Taurine were administered in drinking water simultaneous with and after ALD model establishment. The preventive trial was lasted for 12 weeks, while the curative trial was lasted for 4 weeks. Finally, blood and liver were collected in order to detect the concentrations of plasma LPS and hepatic tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Hepatic total RNA were extracted, gene expressions of LPS binding protein (LBP), leukocyte differentiation antigen 14 (CD14), toll-like receptors (TLR4), nuclear transcription factor (NF-κB) and TNF-α were detected by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. The results showed significant elevated levels of plasma LPS, hepatic TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 in ALD rats (P < 0.05), and heightened gene expressions of LBP, CD14, TLR4, NF-κB and TNF-α (P < 0.05); Taurine no matter administered preventively or curatively can reduce the levels of plasma LPS, hepatic TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and down-regulate the gene expressions of LBP, CD14, TLR4, NF-κB and TNF-α. The results demonstrated that taurine can prevent and cure ALD by reducing the production and transformation of LPS as well as inhibiting the opening and the transmission of LPS induced KC activation and the downstream signaling pathway.