Effectiveness and mechanism study of glutamine on alleviating hypermetabolism in burned rats
Yong-jun Yang Nutrition Available online 3 July 2020, 110934
Highlights
• Glutamine administration can inhibit skeletal muscle decomposition and reduce hypermetabolism by increasing the glutamine level in plasma and tissues after burns.
• Glutamine can significantly inhibit the secretion of stress hormones and inflammatory mediators, maintain the function of multiple organs, and thus lessen hypermetabolic reaction after burn injury.
• Glutamine can promote NADPH synthesis, maintain cellular redox balance, regulate the activity of glutaminase and glutamine synthetase, thereby improving its utilization.
Abstract
Objective: To explore the effects of glutamine on hypermetabolic reaction in burned rats and to explore its underlying mechanism.
Methods: Fifty-five Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into three groups, namely, control (C), burned (B) and burned + glutamine (B+G) group. Rats in the glutamine treatment group were supplemented with 1 g glutamine per kg body weight. Changes in the body weight and resting energy expenditure (REE) in all groups were observed daily. Blood glucose and glucose tolerance level was measured on the 1, 3, 7, 10 and 14th day after burn injury. On the 7th and 14th day after injury, the rats were sacrificed, the weight and protein content of skeletal muscle were measured. Moreover, the level of glutamine, inflammatory mediator, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH), glutathione (GSH) and the activity of glutamine metabolic enzymes were measured.
Results: The hypermetabolic reaction after burn injury was significantly inhibited by glutamine administration, and the range of variations in the REE, body weight indicators was narrowed remarkably (P < 0.05 or 0.01), and the weight and protein content of skeletal muscle returned to normal (P < 0.05 or 0.01). Glutamine could increase glutaminase (GLS) activity in various tissues, promote the utilization of glutamine and appropriately reduce the degree of organ damage and inflammatory response (P < 0.05 or 0.01)., Furthermore, Glutamine could promote the synthesis of the reducing substances NADPH and GSH (P < 0.05 or 0.01).
Conclusions: Glutamine administration effectively reduces hypermetabolic reaction by promoting NADPH synthesis, inhibiting oxidative stress and improving glutamine utilization after burn injury.