Development of a Novel Cysteine Sulfinic Acid Decarboxylase Knockout Mouse : Dietary Taurine Reduces Neonatal Mortality

Abstract EN

We engineered a CSAD KO mouse to investigate the physiological roles of taurine.

The disruption of the CSAD gene was verified by Southern, Northern, and Western blotting.

HPLC indicated an 83% decrease of taurine concentration in the plasma of CSAD-/-.

Although CSAD-/- generation (G)1 and G2 survived, offspring from G2 CSAD-/- had low brain and liver taurine concentrations and most died within 24 hrs of birth.

Taurine concentrations in G3 CSAD-/- born from G2 CSAD-/- treated with taurine in the drinking water were restored and survival rates of G3 CSAD-/- increased from 15% to 92%.

The mRNA expression of CDO, ADO, and TauT was not different in CSAD-/- compared to WT and CSAD mRNA was not expressed in CSAD-/-.

Expression of Gpx 1 and 3 was increased significantly in CSAD-/- and restored to normal levels with taurine supplementation.

Lactoferrin and the prolactin receptor were significantly decreased in CSAD-/-.

The prolactin receptor was restored with taurine supplementation.

These data indicated that CSAD KO is a good model for studying the effects of taurine deficiency and its treatment with taurine supplementation.