Taurine attenuates Listeria monocytogenes -induced inflammation and pyroptosis in mouse model by regulating MAPK and NLRP3/caspase-1/GSDMD pathways

ABSTRACT Listeria monocytogenes , as a significant foodborne pathogen, is not frequently encountered; however, when infections do occur, they can prove highly lethal to specific populations. Antibiotics are still regarded as the primary treatment option for Listeria infections. Nevertheless, under the global antibiotic crisis, there is an urgent demand for innovative and alternative strategies. In our study, we identified taurine, a sulfur-containing free amino acid that can be extracted from a wide variety of foods, as an effective inhibitor of Listeria growth. Furthermore, our findings revealed that taurine administration significantly reduced bacterial burden and concurrently mitigated host-derived inflammation in the mouse model. It was observed that taurine stimulated T-cell proliferation and inhibited pyroptosis via mitogen-activated protein kinase and NLRP3/caspase-1/GSDMD pathways. Our research outcomes position taurine as a promising therapeutic candidate for combating Listeria infections, with an inherent advantage of reduced likelihood for inducing antibiotic resistance compared to conventional antibiotic treatments. IMPORTANCE Listeria monocytogenes infections are lethal to specific groups. With the antibiotic crisis, new treatments are needed. Taurine, a safe dietary compound, was found to inhibit Listeria growth. It targets both L. monocytogenes virulence and host immunopathology, stimulated T-cell proliferation, and inhibited pyroptosis. We establish taurine as the non-antibiotic agent that decouples bacterial cytotoxicity from inflammation-driven tissue damage, offering an immediately translatable strategy for high-risk infections amid the antibiotic resistance crisis.