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World J Gastroenterol. May 28, 2007; 13(20): 2833-2840
Published online May 28, 2007. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v13.i20.2833
Effects of glutamine supplementation on gut barrier, glutathione content and acute phase response in malnourished rats during inflammatory shock
Liliana Belmonte, Moïse Coëffier, Florence Le Pessot, Olga Miralles-Barrachina, Martine Hiron, Antony Leplingard, Jean-François Lemeland, Bernadette Hecketsweiler, Maryvonne Daveau, Philippe Ducrotté, Pierre Déchelotte
Liliana Belmonte, Moïse Coëffier, Olga Miralles-Barrachina, Antony Leplingard, Bernadette Hecketsweiler, Philippe Ducrotté, Pierre Déchelotte, Appareil Digestif Environnement Nutrition, ADEN EA3234, Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire de Recherche Biomédicale and Institut Fédératif de Recherches Multidisciplinaires sur les Peptides, Faculté de Médecine-Pharmacie, Rouen, France
Florence Le Pessot, Service d’Anatomie Pathologique, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Rouen, France
Martine Hiron, Maryvonne Daveau, INSERM unit 519, Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire de Recherche Biomédicale and Institut Fédératif de Recherches Multidisciplinaires sur les Peptides, Faculté de Médecine-Pharmacie, Rouen, France
Jean-François Lemeland, Groupe de Recherche sur les Antimicrobiens et les Microorganismes, GRAM EA2656, Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire de Recherche Biomédicale and Institut Fédératif de Recherches Multidisciplinaires sur les Peptides, Faculté de Médecine-Pharmacie, Rouen, France
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Professor Pierre Déchelotte, ADEN - Faculté de Médecine-Pharmacie de Rouen, 22 Bld Gambetta, 76183 Rouen, France. pierre.dechelotte@chu-rouen.fr
Telephone: +33-2-32886465 Fax: +33-2-32888332
Received: March 2, 2007
Revised: March 20, 2007
Accepted: March 28, 2007
Published online: May 28, 2007
Abstract

AIM: 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 μmol/g tissue, P < 0.05) in the jejunum, whereas in the liver glutathione remained low. Glutamine markedly increased jejunal α1-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.

CONCLUSION: Glutamine restored gut glutathione stores and villus heights in malnourished rats but had no preventive effect on bacterial translocation in our model.

Keywords: Acute phase response; Glutamine; Glutathione; Intestine; Malnutrition