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Effects of taurine in mice and zebrafish behavioral assays with translational relevance to schizophrenia

Background Altered redox state and developmental abnormalities in glutamatergic and GABAergic transmission during development are linked to the behavioral changes associated with schizophrenia. As an amino acid that exerts antioxidant and inhibitory actions in the brain, taurine is a potential candidate to modulate biological targets relevant to this disorder. Here, we investigated in mice and zebrafish assays whether taurine prevents the behavioral changes induced by acute administration of MK-801 (dizocilpine), a glutamate NMDA receptor antagonist. Methods C57BL/6 mice were intraperitoneally administered with saline or taurine (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg) followed by MK-801 (0.15 mg/kg). Locomotor activity, social interaction and prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle reflex were then assessed in different sets of animals. Zebrafish were exposed to tank water or taurine (42, 150 and 400 mg/L) followed by MK-801 (5 μM); social interaction and locomotor activity were evaluated in the same test. Results MK-801 induced hyperlocomotion and disrupted sensorimotor gating in mice; in zebrafish, it reduced sociability while increased locomotion. Taurine was mostly devoid of effects and did not counteract NMDA antagonism in mice or zebrafish. Discussion Contradicting previous clinical and preclinical data, taurine did not show antipsychotic-like effects in the present study. However, it still warrants consideration as a preventive intervention in animal models of relevance to the prodromal phase of schizophrenia; further studies are thus necessary to evaluate whether and how taurine might benefit patients.