[Effect of glutamine on small intestinal repair in weanling rats after chronic diarrhea].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the nutrient effect of glutamine on small intestinal repair in weanling rats after chronic diarrhea.


METHODS
Forty 21-day-old wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups (8 in each). Animal model of chronic diarrhea was induced by a lactose enriched diet in the weanling Wistar rat, normal control group was fed with a standard semipurified diet, and after 14 days the rats in both groups were killed to test the establishment of the model. After the establishment of the model, the other groups were fed with the standard semipurified diet to recover for 7 days, and were randomly divided into three groups: non-intervention group, glutamine (Gln)-intervention group and control group. Glutamine concentrations in blood was detected by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Morphological changes including villus height and villus surface area of the jejunum were measured under a light microscope and electron microscope, expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) as an index of cell proliferation was observed using immunohistochemical staining and image analysis.


RESULTS
The diarrhea rate in model group was 100 percent, average diarrhea index was 1.16 +/- 0.06, but both diarrhea rate and average diarrhea index in control group were 0 (P < 0.01), which affirmed establishment of the model. There was significant decrease of body weight, plasma Gln concentration, villus height, villus surface area and expression of PCNA in non-intervened group compared with the control group (P < 0.01). There was still significant decrease of body weight, villus height and villus surface area in Gln-intervened group compared with control group (P < 0.01), but plasma Gln concentration and expression of PCNA in Gln-intervened group had recovered to normal (P > 0.05). And compared with non-intervened group, except for body weight (P > 0.05), plasma glutamine, villus height, villus surface area and expression of PCNA were all significantly increased in Gln-intervened group.


CONCLUSIONS
Chronic diarrhea can induce malnutrition and reduce the villus height, villus surface area, expression of PCNA and plasm glutamine concentration. Oral glutamine could improve the proliferation of crypt cell and promote repair of intestinal mucosa after chronic diarrhea.
Huang
Zu-xiong
ZX
Department of Pediatrics, Fuzhuo General Hospital, Nanjing Military Area, Fuzhou 350025, China.
Ye
Li-yan
LY
Zheng
Zhi-yong
ZY
Chen
Xin-min
XM
Ren
Rong-na
RN
Tong
Guo-yuan
GY
D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005973:Glutamine / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014886:Weaning
D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D005973:Glutamine