Effect of enteral nutrition of monoacetoacetin on bacterial translocation in burned rats

Abstract

Bacterial translocation (BT) occurs under stress, and enteral nutrition is said to be effective in counteracting this effect. The usefulness of i.v. nutrition of monoacetoacetine (MA) under stress has been reported previously, and we studied the effect of enteral nutrition of MA as it is related to BT. Rats were given 13.6% MA or 15% glucose (Glu) via gastrostomy, and after 4 days a 30% full-thickness burn was made. Before and after administration of the burn, we measured serum cytokines; amounts of bacteria in the mesenteric lymph node (MLN), liver, and spleen (estimation of BT); mucosal thickness of the terminal ileum; and body weight changes. To confirm the effectiveness of MA in the small intestine, we estimated succinyl-CoA:3-oxoacid CoA-transferase (SCOT) expression in the terminal ileum by immunohistochemical staining and Western blot analysis. At 6 hours after burn, all cytokines were lower, and BT in the MLN was inhibited significantly in the MA group. Ileal mucosal thickness was not significantly different, but mucosa was more edematous in the Glu group. At 3 days after burn injury, BT was significantly inhibited in the MLN and liver, and the ileal mucosa was significantly thicker in the MA group. Body weight loss after burn injury was significantly smaller in the MA group. SCOT expression was the strongest at 6 hours after burn injury by Western blot analysis but not by immunohistochemical staining. Enteral nutrition of MA may be useful for the inhibition of intestinal mucosal atrophy and the prevention of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome caused by the inhibition of BT and subsequent overproduction of cytokines.