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Effect of Dietary Taurine on Plasma and Blood Cell Taurine Concentrations in Cats¹

Department of Medicine, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90509, Schools of Medicine and Public Health, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024 and Department of Developmental Biochemistry, New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY 10314

Taurine levels were measured in adult cats consuming casein-based diets supplemented with 0.2, 0.05, 0.02, 0.01 or 0% (wt/wt) taurine or with 0% taurine plus 5.0% L-cystine. Taurine concentrations in plasma, platelets, granulocytes and erythrocytes declined significantly with decreased dietary taurine. In the cats that did not receive the 5.0% cystine supplement, the relationship between dietary taurine intake and plasma and blood cell taurine level was nonlinear. The greatest increment in taurine concentrations occurred between the 0.02 and 0.05% taurine intakes. These findings suggest that the dietary taurine requirement for adult cats may be between 0.02 and 0.05%. Supplementation of the 0% taurine diet with 5.0% L-cystine raised taurine levels above those of the taurine-deficient diets in plasma and all blood cell types. The results of this study therefore suggest a close relationship between dietary taurine intake and blood cell taurine levels in cats. Five percent L-cystine stimulates taurine synthesis in these animals.

KEY WORDS: • taurine • cysteine • cats • blood cells • dietary taurine requirement • amino acids

¹ This research was supported in part by Grant No. AM-33112 from the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases of the National Institutes of Health to J.D.K. and by Grant No. HD-16634 from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health to J.A.S.

² Author to whom reprint requests should be addressed, Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, 1000 W. Carson St., Torrance, CA 90509.

Manuscript received 27 January 1987. Revision accepted 28 July 1987.

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