Glutamine or whey-protein supplementation on alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Effects on CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effects of glutamine (L-Gln) or whey-protein supplementation on CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes in alloxan-induced diabetic rats.


METHODS
Thirty-two healthy male Wistar rats were used in the experiment. Eight rats served as baseline controls (G-1). The remaining 24 animals received alloxan 150 mg/Kg intraperitonially dissolved in buffer solution and were equally distributed in 3 subgroups, upon induction of diabetes mellitus, and treated as follows: (G2): saline, 2.0 ml; (G3): glutamine solution (0.7 g/kg), 2.0 ml; and (G4): whey-protein (WPS) solution (0.7 g/kg), 2.0 ml. All solutions were administered by daily 7:00 AM gavages during 30 days. Next, arterial blood samples (3.0 ml) were collected from anesthetized rats for CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocyte count through flow cytometry technology.


RESULTS
CD4+ and CD8+ counts decreased significantly in all groups compared with baseline values (G1). G2 rats CD4+/CD8+ ratio decreased significantly compared with G1. CD4+/CD8+ ratio increased significantly (>260%) in L-Gln treated group (G3) compared with saline-treated rats (G2). There were no statistical differences in lymphocyte counts (CD4+ and CD8+) between L-Gln (G3) and saline-treated (G2) groups. There was a significant reduction in CD8+ cell count compared with CD4+ cell count in L-Gln treated rats (G3).


CONCLUSIONS
The offer of L-Gln to experimental diabetic rats enhances the immunologic response to infection.
Motta Neto
Renato
R
UFC, Faculty of Pharmacy, Univaersity of Fortaleza (UNIFOR), Brazil.
Guimarães
Sergio Botelho
SB
Silva
Sônia Leite da
SL
Cruz
José Napoleão da
JN
Dias
Thiago
T
Vasconcelos
Paulo Roberto Leitão de
PR
D000496:Alloxan; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D005973:Glutamine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008894:Milk Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D051381:Rats; D012996:Solutions; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D000067816:Whey Proteins
D008894:Milk Proteins; D012996:Solutions; D000067816:Whey Proteins; D005973:Glutamine; D000496:Alloxan