Taurine May Be Fueling Leukemia Growth, Scientists Say

A new study in Nature is shaking up what we know about leukemia biology - and it’s got taurine in the spotlight. Yep, taurine - the amino acid you might recognize from energy drink cans - plays a much bigger role in aggressive blood cancers than previously understood.

Researchers have uncovered how taurine and the transporter that carries it, called TAUT (encoded by SLC6A6), help drive myeloid leukemia, particularly acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Let’s break it down in plain terms.

The Taurine-TAUT Axis: Fuel for Leukemia Cells

Leukemia cells are hungry - and they get a lot of their energy from a process called glycolysis, which is essentially how cells break down sugar to fuel growth. Turns out, taurine plays a key part in keeping this engine running.

Here’s how it works:

• TAUT helps leukemia cells absorb taurine.

• Once inside, taurine activates mTOR, a key pathway that drives glycolysis.

• If you block taurine or TAUT? Glycolysis slows down, and leukemia cells struggle to grow.

Loss of taurine uptake through TAUT not only slows glycolysis but disrupts mTOR signaling, which is like cutting the power to the cancer cell’s control center.

Targeting the Bone Marrow Niche: Taurine and AML Progression Near Me

This research also zooms in on where taurine comes from - not the diet, but the microenvironment inside your own bone marrow. Specifically, osteolineage cells, the ones involved in bone formation, were found to produce taurine through an enzyme called CDO1.

Why does that matter?

• In patients whose MDS (myelodysplastic syndrome) progressed to AML, CDO1 levels rose, along with taurine.

• Blocking CDO1 in these cells slowed leukemia stem cell growth and helped improve survival in lab models.

So, the bone marrow niche itself becomes a silent accomplice in leukemia’s growth - feeding it taurine and helping it thrive.

Taurine Blockers and Combination Therapies: Where We’re Headed

Researchers found that inhibiting TAUT:

• Reduced leukemia growth in mice

• Synergized with venetoclax, a common AML drug, to make treatment more effective

• Promoted cell death and disrupted cancer stem cell survival

These early findings suggest that targeting taurine transport might be a new way to treat tough cases of AML - especially when combined with existing therapies.

Right now, TAUT inhibitors aren’t widely available. But based on this data, it’s likely they’ll be on the radar for future clinical trials.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is taurine and what does it do in the body?

Taurine is an amino acid that plays many roles, from maintaining cell membranes to supporting the nervous system. In leukemia, it turns out taurine also fuels cancer cell metabolism by activating pathways that help cells grow and divide.

Can I lower taurine levels with diet?

Probably not in a meaningful way. This study focused on internal taurine production in bone marrow cells, not dietary sources. The taurine involved in leukemia appears to come from a specific biosynthetic pathway inside the bone environment — not what you eat or drink.

Are there taurine or TAUT inhibitors available for AML treatment?

Not yet — but this research points to a strong need for drug development in that direction. TAUT inhibitors, if successfully created, could become part of future combination therapy approaches for aggressive leukemias like AML.

Sources: Nature article – Taurine–TAUT axis in AML progression

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