The sulfur-containing amino acid, taurine, has been shown to ameliorate the vascular disorders. We examined the effects of taurine ingestion on intimal thickening following balloon injury. Balloon injury was induced in the left common carotid artery of Wistar rats. Taurine (3% (w/v)) was mixed in the drinking water from 2 days prior to, until 14 days after the induction of balloon injury. The ratio of intima-to-media was significantly reduced by 26% in the taurine-treated rats at 14 days after the induction of injury, which was associated with reduced proliferation of the vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) in both the media and the intima. Attenuation of arterial superoxide production by taurine ingestion was evident from the results of both the lucigenin chemiluminescence method and in situ detection by dihydroethidium (DHE) staining. Moreover, LPS-stimulated TNF-alpha production in the blood cells was decreased in the taurine-treated rats. The results of the study showed that taurine suppresses neointimal formation in balloon-injured arteries, associated with reduced proliferation of the vascular SMCs, which is attributable to the anti-oxidative effects of taurine. In addition, the anti-inflammatory effects of taurine chloramine produced by neutrophils may be related to reduction in SMC proliferation in part.
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