The effect of glutamine on inducible nitric oxide synthase gene expression in intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of glutamine on inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) gene expression in the gut mucosa during intestinal ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury. After randomly receiving chow alone or glutamine mixed chow for 1 week, 40 rats underwent 30 min of intestinal ischemia by clamping the superior mesenteric artery followed by 4 or 8 h of reperfusion. Height of mucosal villi, malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH) levels and iNOS gene expression in the gut mucosa and plasma nitric oxide (NO) concentration were measured. There was no significant difference in the heights of mucosal villi. Rats receiving glutamine mixed chow showed significantly lower mucosal MDA and higher mucosal GSH levels after 4 and 8 h of reperfusion, and lower plasma NO concentration after 8 h of reperfusion than did rats receiving chow alone. In rats receiving chow alone, mucosal iNOS expressions were detected at 4 h of reperfusion, and became more prominent at 8 h. In contrast, mucosal iNOS expressions were detected at 8 h in rats receiving glutamine mixed chow. This study showed that glutamine supplementation maintains GSH levels and reduces lipid peroxidation and iNOS gene expression in the gut mucosa during intestinal I/R injury.