Effects of glutamine supplementation on gut barrier, glutathione content and acute phase response in malnourished rats during inflammatory shock.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of glutamine on intestinal mucosa integrity, glutathione stores and acute phase response in protein-depleted rats during an inflammatory shock.


METHODS
Plasma acute phase proteins (APP), jejunal APP mRNA levels, liver and jejunal glutathione concentrations were measured before and one, three and seven days after turpentine injection in 4 groups of control, protein-restricted, protein-restricted rats supplemented with glutamine or protein powder. Bacterial translocation in mesenteric lymph nodes and intestinal morphology were also assessed.


RESULTS
Protein deprivation and turpentine injection significantly reduced jejunal villus height, and crypt depths. Mucosal glutathione concentration significantly decreased in protein-restricted rats. Before turpentine oil, glutamine supplementation restored villus heights and glutathione concentration (3.24 +/- 1.05 vs 1.72 +/- 0.46 mumol/g tissue, P<0.05) in the jejunum, whereas in the liver glutathione remained low. Glutamine markedly increased jejunal alpha1-acid glycoprotein mRNA level after turpentine oil but did not affect its plasma concentration. Bacterial translocation in protein-restricted rats was not prevented by glutamine or protein powder supplementation.


CONCLUSIONS
Glutamine restored gut glutathione stores and villus heights in malnourished rats but had no preventive effect on bacterial translocation in our model.
Belmonte
Liliana
L
ADEN EA3234, Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire de Recherche Biomédicale and Institut Fédératif de Recherches Multidisciplinaires sur les Peptides, Rouen, France.
Coëffier
Moïse
M
Le Pessot
Florence
F
Miralles-Barrachina
Olga
O
Hiron
Martine
M
Leplingard
Antony
A
Lemeland
Jean-François
JF
Hecketsweiler
Bernadette
B
Daveau
Maryvonne
M
Ducrotté
Philippe
P
Déchelotte
Pierre
P
D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000210:Acute-Phase Reaction / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D018988:Bacterial Translocation / Q000187:drug effects; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005973:Glutamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007509:Irritants / Q000009:adverse effects; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000378:metabolism*; D009961:Orosomucoid; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014425:Turpentine / Q000009:adverse effects
D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D001798:Blood Proteins; D006023:Glycoproteins; D007509:Irritants; C506108:Orm1 protein, rat; D009961:Orosomucoid; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D005973:Glutamine; D005978:Glutathione; D014425:Turpentine