Evidence of a direct action of taurine and calcium on biological membranes. A combined study of 31P-nuclear magnetic resonance and electron spin resonance.

To determine the actions of taurine and calcium on biological membranes, the effects of these compounds on the mobility of phospholipids of resealed and sonicated ghosts of human erythrocytes were investigated, using 31P-NMR spectroscopy. In addition, the effects of taurine and calcium on lipid fluidity were investigated by ESR spectroscopy, using a spin-labeling method with 5-doxyl stearic acid. The mobility of the membranes decreased following treatment with 10 mM taurine, but coadministration of 2.5 mM calcium blocked this effect. The fluidity of the membranes was not changed following treatment with 10 mM taurine, but decreased following coadministration of 2.5 mM calcium. These actions of taurine and calcium on the dynamics of biological membranes might explain, in part, the observation that most of the pharmacological effects of taurine on mammalian organs occur in the presence of calcium ions.