Taurine transport in inflammasome activation
The researchers investigated how the amino acid taurine modulates inflammation.
They show that NLRP3 inflammasome activation triggers taurine loss from macrophages and egress to the extracellular compartment.
Taurine efflux is facilitated primarily by the volume-regulated anion channel (VRAC). Loss of intracellular taurine impairs sodium-potassium ATPase pump activity, promoting ionic dysregulation and disrupting ionic fluxes and amplifying inflammation.
Loss of intracellular taurine impairs sodium-potassium ATPase pump activity, promoting ionic dysregulation and disrupting ionic fluxes.
Blocking taurine export, Inhibiting VRAC, or supplementation of taurine, restores the ionic balance, abrogates IL-1β release, and reduces cellular cytotoxicity in macrophages, revealing a potential therapeutic target for hyperinflammatory diseases.
The researchers also show that taurine transport is dysregulated in tuberculosis-associated hyperinflammation.
https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/fulltext/S2211-1247(25)01088-5
