THE PRODUCTION OF SUPEROXIDE ANION AND NITRIC-OXIDE BY CULTURED MURINE LEUKOCYTES AND THE ACCUMULATION OF TNF-ALPHA IN THE CONDITIONED MEDIA IS INHIBITED BY TAURINE CHLORAMINE

Taurine chloramine (Tau-Cl) inhibits production of nitric oxide (NO) b y activated peritoneal macrophages and attenuates accumulation of tumo r necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a) in the culture media, similar co that previously reported for activated RAW 264.7 cells. In addition, the ef fect of Tau-Cl and taurine on superoxide anion (O-2(-)) production in murine peritoneal exudate polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) was exami ned. Tau-Cl inhibited O-2(-) production in a manner that was dose-depe ndent and reversible. Taurine also inhibited O-2(-) production by stim ulated PMN, but at higher concentrations and to a lesser extent than T au-Cl. The effects of taurine on O-2(-) production was attributed to t he in vitro formation of Tau-Cl catalyzed by PMN associated halide-dep endent myeloperoxidase. In contrast, production of NO by activated per itoneal macrophages and accumulation of TNF-alpha in the media was inh ibited by Tau-Cl while taurine was without effect. These data lend sup port to the notion that Tau-Cl may participate in the inflammatory res ponse by modulating production of inflammatory mediators.