N-(d-Ribopyranosyl)Taurine Sodium Salt Has Anti-obesity Effect in Diet-Induced Obesity and Taurine Deficiency Rat Model

Abstract

N-(d-Ribopyranosyl)taurine sodium salt (T-Rib) is a new compound synthesized with taurine and ribose. The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-obesity effects of T-Rib supplementation in diet-induced obesity and in a taurine deficiency model. β-alanine was supplemented for induction of taurine deficiency by dissolving in tap water (3 % w/w). Four week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into seven groups with eight rats in each group for a period of 6 weeks: N group, normal diet; HF group, high-fat diet; HFT group, high-fat diet + taurine (4 mmol/kg/day); HFA group, high-fat diet + β-alanine; HFR2 group, high-fat diet + β-alanine + T-Rib (2 mmol/kg/day); HFR4 group, high-fat diet + β-alanine + T-Rib (4 mmol/kg/day); HFR6 group, high-fat diet + β-alanine + T-Rib (6 mmol/kg/day). Taurine and T-Rib were orally administered to the HFT and HFR groups. Body weight gain, relative adipose tissue weight and size of adipocytes in the HF and HFA groups increased significantly compared to the N group. However, T-Rib supplementation significantly suppressed body weight gain and relative adipose tissue weights. In addition, average sizes of adipocytes in HFR groups were smaller than those of the HF and HFA groups. Total and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations in the HFT and HFR groups were significantly improved compared with the HF and HFA groups. These results suggest that both T-Rib and taurine supplementation may have an anti-obesity effect and T-Rib may be more effective than taurine in diet-induced obesity and in a taurine deficiency rat model.