Protective effect of taurine on lipopolysaccharide induced acute lung injury in mice

Acute lung injury (ALI), a serious respiratory distress has been associated with considerable human morbidity and mortality. Taurine, a physiological semi-essential amino acid has been shown to be tissue-protective in several models of oxidant-induced injury. Therefore, the current study was designed to explore protective effects of the taurine in ALI mice models. The possible tissue protective effects of taurine were evaluated in ALI mice models by investigating the lung water content, cell counts, pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine and levels antioxidant defence system in the broncho-alveolar fluid (BALF). Lung tissue histopathology has also been examined to investigate the degree of protection or tissue damage in ALI mice models. Treatment taurine to ALI mice models significantly reduced lung water content, lung inflammation as evidenced by decrease in neutrophil migration into BALF. Additionally, treatment with taurine significantly (P < 0.05) inverted the LPS-induced inhibition of IL-10 in the lung tissues LPS treated animals compared to saline treated animals. Treatment with taurine to LPS challenged mice reversed LPS induced oxidative stress, as demonstrated by a rise in the anti-oxidant biomarker ratio of reduced/oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG ratio) and T-AOC, CAT and SOD activities. Moreover, taurine treatment significantly prevented the LPS induced lung tissue injury induced by LPS challenge in ALI mice. Taurine treatment to ALI mice models conferred protection against acute LPS induced lung injury, which may be attributed to its potential role in the anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, the present study merits further exploration of the clinical applicability of taurine in the prevention and treatment of ALI.