Taurine 8 [electronic resource] : Volume 1: The Nervous System, Immune System, Diabetes and the Cardiovascular System / edited by Abdeslem El Idrissi, William J. L'Amoreaux.

There is a Taurine-Linked Disease Known As Melas -- Taurine And Hearty Topics -- Taurine Regulation Of Peripheral Hemodynamics -- Regulation Of Taurine Release By Neurotransmitter Receptors -- Neuropsychopharmacological Actions Of Taurine -- Neuro-Protective Mechanism Of Taurine – Role Of Endoplasmic Reticulum -- Differential Regulation Of Taut By Vitamin D3 And Retinoic Acid Via Vdr/Rxr In Llc-Pk1 And Mcf-7 Cells -- Are Taurine Haloamines (Taucl And Taubr) Good Candidates For The Treatment Of Biofilm–Associated Infections? -- Comparative Evaluation Of Taurine And Thiotaurine As Protectants Against Experimental Diabetes-Induced Nephropathy In A Rat Model -- The Mechanism of Taurine Protection against Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Stroke Related Conditions in Primary Neuronal Cell Culture -- Direct interaction of taurine with the NMDA glutamate receptor sub-type via multiple mechanisms -- Perinatal taurine exposure affects patterns of autonomic nerve activity in adult male rats -- Lethality of taurine and alcohol co-administration in 7-day-old, adult and old mice -- Metabotropic effect of taurine regulation of potassium channels via 5-HT2A serotonin receptors -- Changes in gene expression at inhibitory synapses in response to taurine treatment -- Effects of Acute vs. Chronic Taurine Treatment on Context Fear Aversive Conditioning in Mice -- Taurine exerts robust protection against hypoxia and glucose deprivation in human neuroblastoma cell culture -- Perinatal taurine supplementation affects neural control of arterial pressure via estrogen receptors in adult female rats -- Gender specific effects of taurine on cardiovascular function -- Taurine affects release of insulin and GABA in Hit-T15 β cell line via calcium flux -- Taurine ameliorates hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia by reducing insulin resistance and leptin level in Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima fatty (OLETF) rats with long duration of diabetes -- Preventive Roles of Taurine in Alloxan-Induced Diabetes -- Renin-angiotensin system and estrogen attenuates glucose-insulin dysregulation in adult female rats that are perinatally depleted of taurine -- Mechanism underlying calcium-dependent contractile defect in taurine transporter knockout heart -- The role of taurine deficiency under stress in cardiac and skeletal muscles: A study in taurine transporter gene knockout mice -- Effect of taurine chloramine on differentiation of human preadipocytes into adipocytes, and expression of adipokines in differentiated adipocytes -- Taurine chloramine increases HO-1 expression and activity by promoting Nrf2 activation via oxidative modification of Keap1 -- Protection of cells from oxidative stress-induced cytotoxicity and resolution of inflammation by taurine chloramine -- Reduced placental taurine transporter (TauT) activity in pregnancies complicated by maternal obesity and pre-eclampsia -- The physiological role of taurine during fish development – relevant aspects for the aquaculture industry -- Taurine and fish nutrition: where do we stand on the use of this mythical molecule? -- Gestational taurine availability and fetal programming of metabolism in C57BL/6 mice -- Taurine and mitochondrial bioenergetics -- The ability of taurine as a marker for the identification of natural Calculus Bovis and its substitutes -- Effect of arsenic on the expressions of thyroid hormone receptor genes in mice brains and protection of taurine -- Effects of taurine on iNOS-dependent DNA damage in heavy exercise skeletal muscle by inhibiting NF-B signaling pathway -- Knockdown of TauT expression impairs human embryonic kidney 293 cell development -- Effect of arsenic on the expressions of thyroid hormone receptor genes in mice brains and protection of taurine -- Perspective on taurine research -- Monoaminergic activity is increased following electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), but less is known about amino acids -- ToC, cont'd.

Taurine 8 represents the combined efforts of investigators on the roles of the amino acid taurine on human health and disease. The chapters covered in this book are directly derived from presentations of the contributors at the 18th International Taurine Meeting held in Marrakech, Morocco in April 2012. The purpose of this book is to disseminate current findings on taurine's contribution in several organ systems. This book covers the following topics: Taurine in the Nervous System, Taurine in the Immune System, Taurine and Diabetes, and Taurine and the Cardiovascular System. Dr. Abdeslem El Idrissi, College of Staten Island and Dr. William L’Amoreaux, College of Staten Island,  were co-chairs of the Organizing Committee for the meeting.   Data presented at this meeting provided compelling evidence that taurine is not only cytoprotective in cardiomyocytes, but also is a potent GABA agonist, whereby it can facilitate vasodilation of conducting arteries. Taurine conjugates, such as taurine chloramine, may protect cells from oxidative stress via increased HO-1 expression. In adult rodents, taurine has a potent effect on plasma glucose levels, likely through the release of insulin in pancreatic beta cells. As a potential neurotransmitter, taurine is known to work via the GABAergic system, but current research presented at this meeting suggest that taurine may interact with glutamate and serotonin receptors as well. Data are also presented to demonstrate the protective roles of taurine on neurons in neuroblastoma. Perhaps the most important and exciting presentation is the role of taurine and alcohol: the combination may be lethal. Data are also presented at this meeting of the potential role taurine may have as an adjuvant treatment with cisplatin in chemotherapy.