Does taurine prolong lifespan by improving heart function

Taurine transporter knockout (TauTKO) mice die prematurely, an effect attributed to premature aging. However, taurine deficiency also causes severe pathology, including the development of a cardiomyopathy that can be fatal. The present review discusses one of the major mechanisms underlying the development of the cardiomyopathy. The cascade begins with taurine deficiency-mediated impairment of electron transport chain function, which mediates the initial decline in contractile function. The heart then begins the process of ventricular and biochemical remodeling, which worsens the severity of the contractile defect. A key defect that develops during ventricular remodeling is impaired sarcoplasmic reticular (SR) Ca2+ handling, which arises from a series of steps that include elevated protein phosphatase 1 activity, diminished Ca2+-calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) activity, reduced levels of phosphorylated phospholamban and finally impaired SR Ca2+ ATPase activity. Also contributing to ventricular remodeling is the loss of cardiomyocytes via apoptosis.