Effects of glutamine supplementation on splenocyte cytokine mRNA expression in rats with septic peritonitis.

Abstract

AIM:

To investigate the effects of glutamine (GLN)-enriched diets before and GLN-containing total parenteral nutrition (TPN) after sepsis or both on the secretion of cytokines and their mRNA expression levels in splenocytes of rats with septic peritonitis.

METHODS:

Rats were assigned to a control group and 4 experimental groups. The control group and experimental groups 1 and 2 were fed a semipurified diet, while experimental groups 3 and 4 had part of the casein replaced by GLN which provided 25% of the total nitrogen. After rats were fed with these diets for 10 d, sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), whereas the control group underwent a sham operation, at the same time, an internal jugular vein was cannulated. All rats were maintained on TPN for 3 d. The control group and experimental groups 1 and 3 were infused with conventional TPN, while the TPN in experimental groups 2 and 4 was supplemented with GLN, providing 25% of the total nitrogen in the TPN solution. All rats were kiued 3 d after sham operation or CLP to examine their splenocyte subpopulation distribution and cytokine expression levels.

RESULTS:

Most cytokines could not be detected in plasma except for IL-10. No difference in plasma IL-10 was observed among the 5 groups. The IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, and TNF-alpha mRNA expression levels in splenocytes were significantly higher in experimental groups 2 and 4 than in the control group and group 1. The mRNA expression of IFN-gamma was significantly higher in the GLN-supplemented groups than in the control group and experimental group 1. The proportion of CD45Ra+ was increased, while those of CD3+ and CD4+ were decreased in experimental group 1 after CLP was performed. There were no differences in spleen CD3+ lymphocyte distributions between the control and GLN-supplemented groups.

CONCLUSION:

GLN supplementation can maintain T-lymphocyte populations in the spleen and significantly enhance the mRNA expression levels of Th1 and Th2 cytokines and TNF-alpha in the spleen of rats with septic peritonitis.

• Authors: Sung-Ling Yeh, Yu-Ni Lai, Huey-Fang Shang, Ming-Tsan Lin, Wan-Chun Chiu, Wei-Jao Chen
• Journal: World journal of gastroenterology (World J Gastroenterol) Vol. 11 Issue 12 Pg. 1742-6 (Mar 28 2005) ISSN: 1007-9327 [Print] United States
• PMID: 15793856 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Cytokines
• Nitrates
• Nitrites
• RNA, Messenger
• Glutamine

Topics

• Animal Feed
• Animals
• Cytokines (genetics)
• Glutamine (pharmacology)
• Lymphocytes (drug effects, physiology)
• Male
• Nitrates (metabolism)
• Nitrites (metabolism)
• Peritonitis (drug therapy, immunology)
• RNA, Messenger (metabolism)
• Rats
• Rats, Wistar
• Sepsis (drug therapy, immunology)
• Spleen (physiology)