title: L-Alanyl-Glutamine Attenuates Oxidative Stress in Liver Transplantation Patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ischemia/reperfusion injury during liver transplantation can cause severe damage to the graft. The objective of this randomized, double-blind study was to evaluate the possible protective effects of L-alanyl-glutamine on the liver graft.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample included 33 patients from a liver transplantation service in Northeastern Brazil. Before cold ischemia, the patients received 50 g of L-alanyl-glutamine (treatment group) or saline (control group) through the portal vein. The graft was biopsied at the time of recovery, at the beginning of warm ischemia, and at the end of transplantation to determine malondialdehyde (MDA), heat-shock protein (Hsp)70, nuclear factor kappa-beta (NFkB), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The blood parameters were similar in the two groups. In the treatment group, MDA did not increase at the beginning of cold ischemia and decreased at the end of transplantation. This phenomenon was not observed in the control group. GSH, SOD, Hsp70, and NFkB levels were similar in the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that preconditioning with L-alanyl-glutamine attenuates the effects of ischemia/reperfusion-related oxidative stress and reduces lipid peroxidation in the grafts of liver transplantation patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, HUWC (University Hospital), Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. Electronic address: maureliopbarros@terra.com.br.
authors.forename: M A P
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Barros
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, HUWC (University Hospital), Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: P R L
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Vasconcelos
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: M O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Moraes
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, HUWC (University Hospital), Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: P E G
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, HUWC (University Hospital), Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Coelho
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, HUWC (University Hospital), Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: J H P
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Garcia
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D050377:Cold Ischemia; D004151:Dipeptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000209:etiology; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D052096:Warm Ischemia; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004151:Dipeptides; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D016328:NF-kappa B; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005978:Glutathione; C054122:alanylglutamine