Taurine Alleviated Acrylamide-Induced Ovarian Toxicity via Suppression of Stress and Apoptosis in Mice

Acrylamide (Acr) poses reproductive toxicity risks to humans due to its ability to penetrate cell membranes and disrupt cellular balance. Taurine (Tau), a sulfur-containing amino acid with cell membrane stabilization and antioxidant properties, may mitigate these effects. This study examines how Tau can protect against oxidative stress and apoptosis induced by Acr in mouse ovarian tissue. Forty adult healthy mice, aged 6-8 weeks, were randomly assigned to four including Con (received normal saline orally), Acr (50 mg/Kg/day Acr orally), Acr+Tau75 (Acr and 75 mg/Kg/day Tau), and Acr+Tau150 (Acr and 150 mg/Kg/day Tau). Treatments were administered for 35 days, followed by assessments of stress markers and apoptosis via immunofluorescence and TUNEL assays. Both doses of Tau significantly enhanced the gene and protein expression levels of stress response enzymes, including GPx, SOD, and CAT (p <0.05). Moreover, Tau significantly decreased the gene expression levels of apoptotic markers Caspase3 and BAX , while upregulating the anti-apoptotic gene BCL2L1 (p < 0.01). The TUNEL assay revealed the ameliorative properties of Tau against Acr-induced apoptosis in the ovaries. The current findings suggest the promising properties of Tau in the amelioration of Acr-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in mouse ovarian tissue. Therefore, Tau presents a potential therapeutic approach for protecting against Acr-induced reproductive toxicity in females, warranting further investigation.