Apoptosis is a major cause of myocyte death, and taurine is anti-apoptotic. Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) (which is regulated by heat shock factor-HSF-1) is also anti-apoptotic, and caspase 3 stimulates the apoptotic pathway. This study investigated whether taurine affects atherogenic diet-induced myocardial apoptosis, and whether HSP70, HSF-1 and caspase 3 are involved.