Effects of taurine on vascular tone.

Taurine is widely distributed at high concentrations in mammalian tissues, and it plays an important role in a wide range of biological effects including modulation of cardiovascular functions. This review summarizes the role of taurine in vascular tone and blood pressure modulation based on experimental and human studies. It is well established that supplementation of taurine prevents development of hypertension in several animal models and p.o. taurine administration reduces blood pressure in hypertensive patients. Both central and peripheral actions of taurine may be involved in its hypotensive effects. In isolated animal arteries, taurine exerts vasodilation through endothelium-dependent and independent mechanisms. Several studies showed that taurine relaxed various animal arteries through opening potassium channels. We have recently shown that taurine relaxes human internal mammary and radial arteries by opening large conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels. To date, the molecular mechanism(s) involved in the vascular effects of taurine are largely unknown and require further investigation. Clarifying the mechanisms in which taurine affects the vascular system may facilitate the development of therapeutic and/or diet-based strategies to reduce the burden of vascular diseases.