Development of taurine metabolism in beagle pups: effects of taurine-free total parenteral nutrition.

In beagle pups (from 5 to 84 days of age), plasma taurine concentration decreased between 5 and 21 days of age with no change thereafer; cerebral taurine concentration decreased throughout the period of study but cerebral taurine content increased between 5 and 21 days of age; hepatic taurine content (but not concentration) increased throughout. Both hepatic cysteinesulfinic acid decarboxylase (CSAD) activity and the concentration of taurine-conjugated bile acid of gallbladder bile increased during the period of study. Plasma and cerebral taurine pools were not affected by taurine-free total parenteral nutrition (TPN). Hepatic taurine content was also not affected, but taurine concentration decreased; however, this change resulted from an increase in hepatic size. Hepatic CSAD activity of animals that received TPN was greater than that of 35-day control animals while the concentration of taurine-conjugated bile acids in the gallbladder bile was less. Although plasma taurine concentration was not affected by intravenous glucose therapy, both the hepatic taurine concentration and content of these animals were less than those of 35-day control animals. Cerebral taurine concentration of these animals, on the other hand, were greater. Hepatic CSAD activity of the animals that received only intravenous glucose was similar to that of controls, but the taurine-conjugated bile acid concentration in the gallbladder bile, like that of animals that received TPN, was less than that observed in 35-day control animals.