EFFECTS OF IN-VIVO TAURINE DEPLETION ON INDUCED-CHEMILUMINESCENCE PRODUCTION IN MACROPHAGES ISOLATED FROM RAT LUNGS

Alveolar macrophages isolated by pulmonary lavage from partially tauri ne-depleted rats demonstrated increased (2-2.6 fold) chemiluminescence due to the extracellular reaction between exogenous zymosan and vario us reactive forms of oxygen compared to macrophages isolated from cont rol animals. Partial taurine depletion was achieved by adding 3% beta- alanine to the drinking water of the rats for 5 weeks prior to harvest ing the macrophages. Superoxide dismutase activity was not increased i n the lung tissue of the taurine-depleted rats. These data suggest tha t taurine has antioxidant properties and that taurine depletion is pot entially deleterious to alveolar macrophages and pulmonary tissue.