• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.47-51
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• 1999

In order to evaluate the dietary regulation of cysteine sulfinic acid decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.29) in cats, acitivity and protein content of CSAD were assessed in the liver and kidney of cats fed different levels of dietary protein, with and without taurine. Four groups of cats were fed one of the follow diets for 5 weeks ; 20% protein and taurine- free diet(LP0T) ; 20% protein and 0.15% taurine diet(LPNT) ; 60% protein and taurine-free diet(HP0T); and 60% protein and 0.15% taurine diet (HPNT). CSAD activity was determined in the liver and kidney of cats by measuring 14C2 released form [1-14C]-L cysteine sulfinic acid. CSAD protein was quantified using an immunochemical method. CSAD activity was extremely low in cat tissues, among which kidney showed the highest activity which was 0.118$\pm$0.050, and 0.377$\pm$0.056 nmol.min-1.mg soluble portein-1 iin animals fed LP0T and HP0T, respectively. Even though renal CSAD protein content was 18~55% of the hepatic CSAD protein content, renal CSAD acitivity was 1.3~6.5 times of the hepatic CSAD activity . Renal CSAD acitivities of cats fed 60% protein were about 1.6~3.2 times those of animals fed 2.% protein , and hepatic CSAD activity was not significantly affected by the dietary level of protein. Taurine depletion significantly elevated both hepatic and renal CSAD activities above the values for cats having normal taurine status most probably as an adaptive response.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.87-87
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• 2003

Taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid, $^{+}NH_3CH_2CH_2{SO_3}^{-}$) is endogenous $\beta$-amino acid which is essential in fetal nutrition and development and is present in abundant quantities in several tissues of fetus. In utero, taurine deficiency causes abnormal development and abnormal function of brain, retina, kidney and myocardium. Thus, transfer of taurine into fetus is important during embryonic development. Taurine transporter (TauT) has 12 hydrophobic membrane -spanning domains, which is typical of the $Na^{+}$- and $Cl^{-}$-dependent transporter gene family. Among the various biosynthetic enzymes of taurine, cysteine sulfinic acid decarboxylase (CSD) is the rate-limiting enzyme for biosynthesis of taurine. However, the enzyme activities of taurine biosynthesis are limited in early stage of embryonic development. To analyze the expression period of TauT and CSD during embryonic development, we have investigated the gene expression of TauT and CSD using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in mouse and chicken embryos. RT-PCR anaylsis revealed that both TauT and CSD mRNAs were already expressed at Day-4.5 in mouse embryo. In chicken whole embryo, TauT and CSD mRNAs began to appear on developing times of 48 hrs and 12 hrs, respectively. TauT mRNA was detected in the organs of heart, brain and eye of the day-3 chicken embryo. Our data show that TauT and CSD mRNAs were expressed in early stage of embryonic development.