Taurine attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced disfunction in mouse mammary epithelial cells

Abstract

The intent of this study was to evaluate the active defense reaction of mouse mammary epithelial cells and the cytoprotective and anti-inflammatory properties of taurine to lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced disfunction in mouse mammary epithelial cells. (1) Primary cultured mouse mammary epithelial cells were stimulated with LPS for 24h (final concentration=0, 5, 10, 20μg/mL). Western blotting demonstrated a significant decrease in the secretion of β-casein in the 20μg/mL LPS treatment group (P<0.05), while nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), lactoferrin (LF) and N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase (NAGase) were all significantly increased following LPS treatment (P<0.01). Furthermore, cell survival was significantly inhibited after treatment with 20μg/mL LPS; however, neither 5μg/mL nor 10μg/mL LPS had any effect on cell survival. Therefore, a level of 10μg/mL LPS was selected to test the protective effect of taurine on mouse mammary epithelial cells. (2) Primary cultured mouse mammary epithelial cells were treated with 0, 5, 15 or 45mmol/L taurine for 3h, followed by 10μg/mL LPS for 24h. Taurine significantly attenuated the LPS-induced increase in NAGase activity, NO concentrations and the level of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and LF. Taurine at 45mmol/L markedly increased β-casein secretion in response to LPS-induced disfunction. This study demonstrated that the addition of taurine to a culture medium significantly inhibited the LPS-induced release of inflammatory factors and increased β-casein secretion from mammary epithelial cells, thereby providing a possible explanation for the protective effect proposed for taurine in the prevention of LPS-induced disfunction in mammary epithelial cells.