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Enhancing effect of taurine on CYP7A1 mRNA expression in Hep G2 cells

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Summary.

Taurine has been reported to enhance cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) mRNA expression in animal models. However, no in vitro studies of this effect have been reported. The Hep G2 human hepatoma cell line has been recognized as a good model for studying the regulation of human CYP7A1. This work characterizes the effects of taurine on CYP7A1 mRNA levels of Hep G2 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. In the dose-dependent experiment, Hep G2 cells were treated with 0, 2, 10 or 20 mM taurine in the presence or absence of cholesterol 0.2 mM for 48 h. In the time-dependent experiment, Hep G2 cells were treated with 0 or 20 mM taurine for 4, 24 and 48 h with and without cholesterol 0.2 mM. Our data revealed that taurine showed time- and dose-response effects on CYP7A1 mRNA levels in Hep G2 cells. However, glycine – a structural analogue of taurine – did not have an effect on CYP7A1 gene expression. These results show that, in agreement to previous studies on animal models, taurine induces the mRNA levels of CYP7A1 in Hep G2 cells, which could enhance cholesterol conversion into bile acids. Also, Hep G2 cell line may be an appropriate model to study the effects of taurine on human cholesterol metabolism.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Graduate School of Nutritional and Environmental Sciences, and COE Program in the 21st Century, University of Shizuoka, Shizuoka, Japan

    N. V. Lam, W. Chen, T. Goda & H. Yokogoshi

  2. Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

    N. V. Lam

  3. Beijing Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functional Foods, Beijing Union University, Beijing, China

    W. Chen

  4. Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Nursing and Nutrition, Siebold University of Nagasaki, Nagasaki, Japan

    K. Suruga

  5. Department of Human Life and Development, Naroyo City College, Naroyo, Japan

    N. Nishimura

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  1. N. V. Lam
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  2. W. Chen
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Lam, N., Chen, W., Suruga, K. et al. Enhancing effect of taurine on CYP7A1 mRNA expression in Hep G2 cells. Amino Acids 30, 43–48 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00726-005-0244-3

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