Pretreatment with citrulline improves gut barrier after intestinal obstruction in mice.
BACKGROUND
Citrulline has been shown to be an important marker of gut function, regulator of protein metabolism, and precursor of arginine. The authors assessed the effects of citrulline on gut barrier integrity and bacterial translocation (BT) in mice undergoing intestinal obstruction.


METHODS
Mice were divided into 3 groups: sham, intestinal obstruction (IO), and citrulline (CIT). The CIT group received a diet containing 0.6% citrulline; the IO and sham groups were fed a standard chow diet. On the eighth day of treatment, all animals received a diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) solution labeled with (99m)Technetium ((99m)Tc-DTPA) by gavage for the intestinal permeability study. Terminal ileum was ligated except the sham group, which only underwent laparotomy. After 4, 8, and 18 hours, blood was collected to determine radioactivity. Samples of ileum were removed 18 hours after intestinal obstruction for histological analysis. In another set of animals, BT was evaluated. Animals received 10(8) CFU/mL of (99m)Tc-Escherichia coli by gavage; 90 minutes later, they underwent ileum ligation. Intestinal fluid and serum were collected to measure sIgA and cytokines.


RESULTS
The CIT group presented decreased intestinal permeability and BT when compared with the IO group (P < .05). Histopathology showed that citrulline preserved the ileum mucosa. The sIgA concentration was higher in the CIT group (P < .05). The IO group presented the highest levels of interferon-γ (P < .05).


CONCLUSIONS
Pretreatment with citrulline was able to preserve barrier integrity and also modulated the immune response that might have affected BT decrease.
Post-Graduate Program in Food Science, Pharmacy School, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
Marina Andrade
MA
Batista
Jacques Robert
JR
Nicoli
Flaviano dos Santos
Fdos S
Martins
José Augusto Nogueira
JA
Machado
Rosa Maria Esteves
RM
Arantes
Iara Eliza Pacífico
IE
Quirino
Maria Isabel Toulson Davisson
MI
Correia
Valbert Nascimento
VN
Cardoso
D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000494:pharmacology; D018988:Bacterial Translocation / Q000187:drug effects; D002956:Citrulline / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects; D007082:Ileum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory / Q000097:blood; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D004369:Pentetic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010539:Permeability
D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory; D002956:Citrulline; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D001120:Arginine