The Effects of Endotoxin on Plasma Free Amino Acid Concentrations in Rats

Abstract

We examined the effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection on body temperature and plasma free amino acid concentrations in rats. A catheter was placed in the jugular vein of the rats in order to draw blood from and to inject LPS into awake animals. On the day of the experiment, body temperature was recorded during the experiment (330 min) and blood was drawn before and at several time points after injection of LPS (10 microg/kg body weight). Body temperature in LPS-treated rats began to rise approximately 30 min after injection with a peak at 120 min, and afterward remained approximately 1 degree C higher than that in control rats through the end of the experiment. Concentrations of many plasma free amino acids were decreased by LPS treatment, with a nadir at approximately 120 min, and then were increased to the level of or over the control. It appears that thermoregulatory responses induced by LPS treatment may be related to alterations in plasma free amino acid concentrations. Effects of LPS treatment on the dynamics of plasma free branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) concentrations in rats with peroral or intravenous administration of BCAAs were also examined. The results showed that the rise in plasma BCAA concentrations after peroral BCAA administration was significantly suppressed by LPS treatment, but the dynamics of plasma BCAAs after intravenous administration was not affected by LPS, suggesting that LPS treatment inhibited the intestinal absorption of BCAAs into the circulation. These results suggest that the availability of administered BCAAs to the body tissues during sepsis is higher following parenteral than peroral administration.