Joint Research Center, Tokyo Medical University Ibaraki Medical Center, Ami, Japan,
Amino Acids. 2014 Jan;46(1):101-10. doi: 10.1007/s00726-012-1381-0. Epub 2012 Aug 24.
Taurine (2-aminoethylsulfonic acid) has many physiological and pharmacological functions in most tissues. It is abundantly maintained in the liver by both endogenous biosynthesis and exogenous transport, but is decreased in liver diseases. In the hepatic lobule, there are heterogeneous differences in metabolism between the pericentral (PC) and periportal regions, and the distributions of the biosynthesis capacity and specific taurine transporter expression are predominantly in the PC region. In cases of depletion of hepatic taurine level, serious liver damages were observed in the PC region. Taurine has protective effects against xenobiotics-induced liver damages in the PC region, but not xenobiotics-induced PP region damages. The xenobiotics that injure the PC region are mainly catabolized by NADPH-dependent cytochrome P450 2E1 that is also predominantly expressed in the PC region. Taurine treatment seems to be a useful agent for CYP2E1-related liver diseases with predominant damages in the PC region.
牛磺酸（2-氨基乙磺酸）在大多数组织中具有许多生理和药理功能。它可以通过内源性生物合成和外源性转运在肝脏中大量维持，但在肝脏疾病中会减少。在肝小叶中，中央（PC）和门周区域之间的代谢存在异质性差异，生物合成能力和特定牛磺酸转运蛋白表达的分布主要在 PC 区域。在肝牛磺酸水平耗竭的情况下，在 PC 区域观察到严重的肝损伤。牛磺酸对 PC 区域中由外源化学物质引起的肝损伤具有保护作用，但对由外源化学物质引起的 PP 区域损伤没有作用。损伤 PC 区域的外源化学物质主要由 NADPH 依赖性细胞色素 P450 2E1 代谢，该酶也主要在 PC 区域表达。牛磺酸治疗似乎是一种有用的药物，可用于治疗以 PC 区域为主的 CYP2E1 相关肝病。
