Developmental and gestational changes of phosphoethanolamine and taurine in rat brain, striated and smooth muscle

Abstract

SUM NI AR YConcentrations of taurine and phosphoethanolamine in rat smooth (intestinaLl aLnd uterine), skeletal and cardiac muscle, and brain have been determined, using high-performiiance liquid chromatography (HPLC), to examine possible interrelationships in their tissue content. Concentrations were determined in fetal and neonatal samples, as well as in aLdult tissue, to investigate whether phosphoethanolanmine and taurine levels are influenced by developmental st(ate. The effect of gestational state was also studied. A marked decrease in cerebral phosphoethanolamine concentration during development was found together with a concomitant decrease in striated muscle but not in the two smooth muscles studied. A rise in uterine phosphoethanolamine during the early postpartum period confirmed previous NMR dalta. This occurred only in the uterus, suggesting it is specific to the process of involution within the myometrium. Tauline concentrations showed no consistent pattern of change with postnatal development. In adult animals, the highest levels of ta-urine were found in cardiac muscle. Pregnancy wa1s Cassocialted with al fall in taLurine concentration in all tissues, suggesting an influence of steroid hormones. As taLurine is cotransported with Na-in many systems it may be related to the increased water retention seen in pregnancy. It is concluded that mnarked changes in phosphoetlhanolamine and taurine levels occur during development and gestation, but that the changes are not interdependent. i.e. the changes are tissUe specific.

Immunohistochemical Localization of Taurine in the Rat Ovary, Oviduct, and Uterus

“…In this sense, taurine immunoreactivity varies in the oocyte and theca cells during follicular development and atresia, in luteal cells during corpora lutea formation and regression, in the oviduct and uterine epithelia comparing pregnant and nonpregnant rats, and in the uterine epithelium during the estrous cycle. Moreover, the decrease in taurine immunoreactivity observed in the oviduct and uterine epithelia during gestation is consistent with the decreased levels in taurine concentration reported in the uterus and in other tissues with pregnancy Turner et al 1994).…”

The neurochemical profile quantified by in vivo 1H NMR spectroscopy

“…Phosphorylethanolamine concentration decreases during cerebral development and this observation is consistent in rodents and humans, paralleling the progression of myelination and cellular proliferation (Blüml et al, 1999;Gyulai et al, 1984;Kulak et al, 2010;Tkáč et al, 2003;Turner et al, 1994;Rao et al, 2003;Wijnen et al, 2010a). Like choline, increased PE metabolism during high cellular proliferation was found in several types of brain tumors and to correlate with tumor malignancy (e.g.…”

Identification of Metabolites in the Normal Ovary and Their Transformation in Primary and Metastatic Ovarian Cancer

“…It has been demonstrated that the ovary contains the mRNA of a taurine transporter [44] and that the rat oviduct contains up to 10 µmol taurine/g tissue [45]. Taurine is also present in high concentrations in the rat and human uterus, and its concentration decreases with pregnancy [46], [47]. Despite all these data, the roles of taurine in the female reproductive system are largely unknown and there are no previous studies about its localization in these organs.…”