USE OF URINARY TAURINE AND CREATINE AS BIOMARKERS OF ORGAN DYSFUNCTION AND METABOLIC PERTURBATIONS

We have shown that urinary taurine and creatine may be used as biomark ers of pathological and biochemical lesions. Detection of changes in t he urinary concentration of these two low-molecular-weight metabolites indicates biochemical lesions which may also be associated with patho logical damage. Thus changes in protein or glutathione metabolism will lead to changes in urinary taurine. Hepatotoxicants which cause necro sis, but do not affect glutathione status or reduce bile flow, cause t aurinuria and creatinuria. Hepatotoxicants which cause fatty liver onl y cause taurinuria. Testicular toxicants only cause creatinuria. Compo unds which result in increased glutathione synthesis, stimulate protei n synthesis or reduce bile flow decrease urinary taurine. A combinatio n of the two markers, therefore, can be used to help diagnose a variet y of biochemical and pathological lesions.