Improving effect of dietary taurine on marked hypercholesterolemia inducedby a high-cholesterol diet in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

The effect of dietary taurine on hypercholesterolemia induced by a high-cho lesterol diet in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats was Investigate d. The concentrations of serum and liver cholesterol were markedly elevated in STZ diabetic rats fed on the cholesterol-containing diet, and dietary t aurine significantly reduced this elevated level of cholesterol in the seru m and liver. The gene expression of cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase (CYP7A1 ), which is the rate-limiting enzyme for cholesterol degradation, was induc ed by the supplementation of taurine to the high-cholesterol diet. It is su ggested that one of the reasons for this hypocholesterolemic action by taur ine might have been the enhancement of cholesterol degradation.