Effects of taurine on neutrophil function in hyperlipidemic rats.

In dietary hyperlipidemic rats, an increase in serum lipid level may cause an increase in membrane lipid level of the neutrophils, and phagocytosis and bactericidal capacity may be thereby lowered. Treatment with taurine (470 mg/kg/day, p.o.) strengthened the bactericidal capacity of neutrophils which was decreased by cholesterol diet feeding, as the capacity was stronger on the 40th day than that in animals fed laboratory chow. The results suggest that taurine may play an important role in the mechanism of host defense through the neutrophil function.