The protective effect of taurine on lung injury following limbs ischemia/reperfusion of rats / 中国应用生理学杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>AIM</b>On the model of limb ischemia/reperfusion (LIR), the effects of taurine on pulmonary morphological changes in rats were observed.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Wistar rats were divided into three groups (n=8) control group, ischemia/reperfusion group (IR) and taurine + IR (Tau + IR). Then macroscopic inspection and optical and transmission electron microscopies (TEM) were performed to assess the morphological changes of the lung tissues and their lung index (LI) and lung permeability index (LPI) and reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured as well.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The morphological changes of lung tissue after LIR were characterized by an increase of permeability of the alveoli-capillary membrane and infiltration of inflammatory cells. Under optical microscopy, there were congestion and swelling in pulmonary microvessels with broadened the spaces around the blood vessels. Under TEM, a number of tight-junctional regions between adjacent alveolar epithelial cells and between pulmonary microvessels endothelium were "open". The LI, LPI, MDA and ROS increased. The specimens of Taurine + IR group revealed slight to moderate degrees of damages in the lung tissues.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Taurine protects lung from LIR in rats and the protective action on tight-junctional regions between cells and anti-oxygen is one of the protective mechanisms of taurine.</p>