A significantly higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is reported in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) as compared with the general population and accounts for approximately 30% of deaths in SLE patients. However, the mechanism of and treatments for CVD in patients with SLE are still unclear. To explore the effects of taurine on cardiac abnormality in SLE, NZB/W F1 mice were used as the experimental model by receiving control, cholesterol, or cholesterol/taurine diets, respectively. Improved cardiac histopathological changes were observed in left ventricle tissues from the cholesterol/taurine group as compared to the control or cholesterol group. Significant reductions of TUNEL-positive cells, Fas death receptor-related components, mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis, cardiac fibrosis, and fibrotic signaling components were detected in the left ventricle tissues from the cholesterol/taurine group as compared to the control or cholesterol group. Additionally, cardiac IGR1R survival signaling components were significantly increased in the left ventricle tissues from the cholesterol/taurine group as compared to the control or cholesterol group. These findings revealed the protective effects of taurine against the cardiac abnormalities in NZB/W F1 mice and may suggest the potential for clinical application of taurine in treatment of CVD in SLE.
