Central and peripheral taurine levels in diabetic rats under depressive-like behavior treated with insulin and/or clonazepam

Abstract

Taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid) is a sulfur-containing amino acid that is involved in a variety of physiological functions. Considering that many reports indicate that taurine participates in the development of diabetes and also appears to play a role in the pathophysiology of depression, the aim of this study is to highlight the insulin and/or clonazepam effect on plasma and cerebral cortex taurine concentrations of diabetic rats submitted to forced swimming test. Previous studies of our group showed that diabetic rats present depressive-like behavior and oxidative damage to biomolecules and that the association of insulin plus clonazepam is able to reverse this process. In the present study, it was verified a longer immobility time in diabetic rats, which was prevented by insulin plus clonazepam acute treatment. Moreover, taurine concentrations were decreased in plasma and increased in cerebral cortex from the rats, demonstrating that in this experimental animal model of diabetes and depression occurs a deficiency of this important amino acid in plasma, as well as a high uptake by the brain. It was also observed that these effects were corrected by the insulin and/or clonazepam acute treatment, suggesting that this therapeutic association is important to restore taurine homeostasis in diabetic rats under depressive-like behavior.