IS THERE A CORRELATION BETWEEN TAURINE LEVELS AND XENOBIOTIC-INDUCED PERTURBATIONS IN PROTEIN-SYNTHESIS - A STUDY WITH TETRACYCLINE IN RATS

Changes in urinary levels of taurine have been reported in rats follow ing treatment with various xenobiotics including those which alter pro tein synthesis and/or are hepatotoxic. This paper reports on the time course of the urinary elevation of taurine following treatment of rats with tetracycline (50, 150 and 200 mg.kg(-1)). Maximum taurine excret ion occurred 8-12 h following dosing. Serum albumin and total protein were significantly lower after 24 h (200 mg.kg(-1)). The increase in u rinary taurine was dose-related and reflected in the raised serum leve ls of taurine 24 h after dosing. Serum and urinary protein and [H-3]-l eucine incorporation into acid precipitable protein in liver and muscl e were reduced by tetracycline (100, 150 and 200 mg.kg(-1)) 10 h after dosing. The reduction in protein synthesis was correlated with increa sed urinary and serum levels of taurine at 10 h. The use of taurine as a non-invasive marker of protein synthesis is discussed.