title: Alanyl-glutamine administration suppresses Th17 and reduces inflammatory reaction in dextran sulfate sodium-induced acute colitis.
abstract: T helper (Th) cells play a major role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Glutamine (Gln) is known to have immunomodulatory effects in metabolic stressed conditions. This study investigated the effects of post-treatment of alanyl-glutamine (Ala-Gln) on Th cell-associated cytokine expressions and inflammatory reaction in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis. C57BL/6 mice received distilled water containing 3% DSS for 5 days to induce colitis, whereas the normal control (NC) group received distilled water. After induction of colitis, one of the colitis groups (DG) was intraperitoneally injected with an Ala-Gln solution (0.5 g Gln/kg/d), and the saline DSS group (DS) received an identical volume of saline. After treatment for 3 days, mice were sacrificed, and the blood and tissue samples were collected for further analysis. DSS colitis resulted in higher percentages of blood interleukin (IL)-17-secreting Th cells and greater expression of Th cell-associated cytokine messenger RNA (mRNA) in the mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN). Also, luminal immunoglobin (Ig) G, keratinocyte-derived chemokine, and macrophage chemoattractant protein-1 levels were higher in the DS group than the NC group, whereas these parameters did not differ between the DG and NC groups. The DG group had lower blood IL-17A, 17F, MLN IL-17 mRNA and macrophage percentage in the peritoneal lavage fluid than those of the DS group. These results suggest that post-treatment with Ala-Gln suppressed Th17-associated cytokine expressions, reduced macrophage infiltration into the peritoneal cavity and decreased pro-inflammatory cytokine production in the colon, thus may have attenuated inflammatory response in DSS-induced colitis.
authors.affiliation: School of Nutrition and Health Sciences, College of Public Health and Nutrition, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Chen
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Jun-Jen
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Man-Hui
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Pai
authors.forename: Shung-Sheng
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Tsou
authors.forename: Sung-Ling
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Yeh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D003092:Colitis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy; D003106:Colon; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016264:Dextran Sulfate / Q000633:toxicity*; D004151:Dipeptides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D004151:Dipeptides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016264:Dextran Sulfate; C054122:alanylglutamine
keywords: Alanyl-glutamine; DSS-colitis; Immunoglobin G; Interleukin-17; T helper cells