Sturman J A, Rassin D K, Hayes K C, Gaull G E
J Nutr. 1978 Sep;108(9):1462-76. doi: 10.1093/jn/108.9.1462.
Kittens fed a purified diet containing partially-purified casein as the source of protein become taurine-deficient and develop retinal degeneration. The present studies report the exchange and turnover of taurine in different areas of brain, retina and other tissues and fluids of control and taurine-deficient kittens. The various tissues and fluids have different rates of exchange and different half-lives of taurine; taurine deficiency causes a range of changes in these parameters. Generally, tissues and fluids from taurine-deficient kittens accumulated more [35S] taurine and had a longer half-life of taurine than tissues and fluids from control kittens. Nine areas of brain were studied and, of these areas, olfactory bulb had the greatest concentration of taurine. Olfactory bulb resisted taurine depletion to a greater extent than other areas; and, in contrast to other areas of brain, in taurine-deficient kittens, it accumulated [35S] taurine for most of the experiment. Retina resisted taurine depletion and, in taurine-deficient kittens but not in control kittens, it accumulated [35S] taurine throughout the experiment. The amount of taurine conjugated to bile acids was unchanged by the taurine depletion, but the kinetic behavior was altered and was similar to that of retina. The results provide support for the suggestion that, in the kitten at least, taurine is most important for the functions of bile and retina and that taurine depletion affects retina before bile. Taurine may have special importance in olfactory bulb but not necessarily in other regions of brain.
用含有部分纯化酪蛋白作为蛋白质来源的纯化饮食喂养的小猫会出现牛磺酸缺乏，并发展为视网膜变性。本研究报告了对照小猫和牛磺酸缺乏小猫的大脑、视网膜以及其他组织和体液不同区域中牛磺酸的交换和周转情况。各种组织和体液的牛磺酸交换率不同，半衰期也不同；牛磺酸缺乏会导致这些参数发生一系列变化。一般来说，牛磺酸缺乏小猫的组织和体液比对照小猫的组织和体液积累更多的[35S]牛磺酸，且牛磺酸半衰期更长。研究了大脑的九个区域，其中嗅球的牛磺酸浓度最高。嗅球比其他区域更能抵抗牛磺酸的消耗；而且，与大脑的其他区域不同，在牛磺酸缺乏的小猫中，在实验的大部分时间里它都积累[35S]牛磺酸。视网膜能抵抗牛磺酸的消耗，并且在牛磺酸缺乏的小猫而非对照小猫中，在整个实验过程中都积累[35S]牛磺酸。与胆汁酸结合的牛磺酸量并未因牛磺酸缺乏而改变，但动力学行为发生了变化，且与视网膜的相似。这些结果支持了这样的观点，即至少在小猫中，牛磺酸对胆汁和视网膜的功能最为重要，并且牛磺酸缺乏对视网膜的影响先于胆汁。牛磺酸在嗅球中可能具有特殊重要性，但在大脑的其他区域不一定如此。
