Investigating the effects of taurine on Aβ-degradation proteins and neurogenesis-related genes in an LPS-induced neuroinflammatory SH-SY5Y cell model.

OBJECTIVES: Taurine, a brain-abundant sulfonic acid, shows potential neuroprotective effects and may counter neurodegenerative processes. This study investigated the effects of taurine on neuroinflammation, focusing on Aβ-degrading proteins and gene expression related to neurogenesis in an LPS-stimulated SH-SY5Y cell model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The effects of taurine (0.5 and 1 mg/ml) and LPS (0.5 and 10 μg/ml) on SH-SY5Y cell viability were assessed using the MTT assay. IL-1β and IL-6 expression was measured by real-time PCR, while matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) levels were quantified via ELISA. Neurogenesis-related gene expression was evaluated using the Neurogenesis Plus RT² Profiler PCR array. RESULTS: The MTT assay results demonstrated that taurine treatment at concentrations of 0.5 and 1 mg/ml significantly attenuated the cytotoxicity induced by LPS stimulation in SH-SY5Y cells. Also, treatment with taurine significantly reduced the expression levels of the inflammatory genes IL-1β and IL-6 in LPS-stimulated SH-SY5Y cells (P<0.05). ELISA results further revealed that taurine treatment significantly increased the secretion levels of ACE and MMP-9 enzymes in LPS-stimulated SH-SY5Y cells (P<0.05). LPS exposure in SH-SY5Y cells significantly up-regulated genes related to apoptosis, cell migration, and synaptic function (P<0.005). Conversely, taurine treatment significantly increased the expression of genes involved in cell adhesion, synaptic function, growth factors, cytokines, differentiation, cell cycle, signaling, transcription, and cofactor activity (P<0.005). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that taurine may act as a potential neuroprotective agent by increasing the secretion of MMP-9 and ACE, regulating neurogenesis-related genes, and reducing LPS-induced neuroinflammation.