Thiotaurine: From Chemical and Biological Properties to Role in H²S Signaling

Alessia Baseggio Conrado, Elisabetta Capuozzo, Luciana Mosca, Antonio Francioso, Mario Fontana (Lead / Corresponding author)

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

    10 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    In the last decade thiotaurine, 2-aminoethane thiosulfonate, has been investigated as an inflammatory modulating agent as a result of its ability to release hydrogen sulfide (H2S) known to play regulatory roles in inflammation. Thiotaurine can be included in the "taurine family" due to structural similarity to taurine and hypotaurine, and is characterized by the presence of a sulfane sulfur moiety. Thiotaurine can be produced by different pathways, such as the spontaneous transsulfuration between thiocysteine - a persulfide analogue of cysteine - and hypotaurine as well as in vivo from cystine. Moreover, the enzymatic oxidation of cysteamine to hypotaurine and thiotaurine in the presence of inorganic sulfur can occur in animal tissues and last but not least thiotaurine can be generated by the transfer of sulfur from mercaptopyruvate to hypotaurine catalyzed by a sulfurtransferase. Thiotaurine is an effective antioxidant agent as demonstrated by its ability to counteract the damage caused by pro-oxidants in the rat. Recently, we observed the influence of thiotaurine on human neutrophils functional responses. In particular, thiotaurine has been found to prevent human neutrophil spontaneous apoptosis suggesting an alternative or additional role to its antioxidant activity. It is likely that the sulfane sulfur of thiotaurine may modulate neutrophil activation via persulfidation of target proteins. In conclusion, thiotaurine can represent a biologically relevant sulfur donor acting as a biological intermediate in the transport, storage and release of sulfide.

    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationTaurine 11
    Subtitle of host publicationfrom chemical and biological properties to role in H²S Signalling
    EditorsJianmin Hu, Fengyuan Piao, Stephen W. Schaffer, Abdeslem El Idrissi, Jang-Yen Wu
    Place of PublicationSingapore
    PublisherSpringer
    Pages755-771
    Number of pages17
    Volume1155
    ISBN (Electronic)9789811380235
    ISBN (Print)9789811380228
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2019

    Publication series

    NameAdvances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
    PublisherSpringer
    Volume1155
    ISSN (Print)0065-2598
    ISSN (Electronic)2214-8019

    Keywords

    • Antioxidant
    • H S donor
    • H S signaling
    • Hydrogen sulfide
    • Hypotaurine
    • Inflammation
    • Neutrophils
    • Reactive sulfur species
    • Sulfane sulfur
    • Thiotaurine

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • General Biochemistry,Genetics and Molecular Biology

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