Taurine Supplementation Prevents the Adverse Effect of High Sugar Intake on Arterial Pressure Control After Cardiac Ischemia/Reperfusion in Female Rats

Taurine supplementation prevents cardiac ischemia/reperfusion injury. This study tests the hypothesis that taurine supplementation also ameliorates the effect of high sugar intake on arterial pressure control after cardiac ischemia/reperfusion in female rats. After weaning, female rats were fed normal rat chow and tap water containing 5 % glucose (CG) or water alone (CW) throughout the study. One week before surgery and continuing throughout the experiment, half of the rats in each treatment were supplemented with 3 % taurine in the tap water (CW + T and CG + T groups). At 7–8 weeks of age, cardiac ischemia/reperfusion (under anesthesia) was induced in all rats and 2–3 days later, their hemodynamics and blood chemistry were measured in conscious and anesthetized conditions, respectively. Body weight, heart weight, plasma electrolytes, blood urea nitrogen, plasma creatinine, and hematocrit were not significantly different among the four groups. Although high sugar intake did not affect cardiac injury markers, taurine supplementation significantly decreased plasma creatine kinase-MB but not aspartate aminotransferase, troponin T, and N-terminal prohormone brain natriuretic peptide in the CW and CG groups. Mean arterial pressures significantly and similarly increased in all groups, while heart rates significantly increased in all other groups except CG compared to the control group. High sugar intake significantly decreased parasympathetic nerve activity and baroreflex sensitivity and increased sympathetic nerve activity. These adverse effects of high sugar diet were abolished by taurine supplementation. The present data suggest that short-term taurine supplementation prevents the adverse effects of high sugar intake on arterial pressure control mechanisms after cardiac ischemia/reperfusion in adult female rats.