Effect of l-glutamine on myenteric neuron and of the mucous of the ileum of diabetic rats

Differential effects in CGRPergic, nitrergic, and VIPergic myenteric innervation in diabetic rats supplemented with 2% L-glutamine

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of 2% L-glutamine supplementation on myenteric innervation in the ileum of diabetic rats, grouped as follows: normoglycemic (N); normoglycemic supplemented with L-glutamine (NG); diabetic (D); and diabetic supplemented with L-glutamine (DG). The ileums were subjected to immunohistochemical techniques to localize neurons immunoreactive to HuC/D protein (HuC/D-IR) and neuronal nitric oxide synthase enzyme (nNOS-IR) and to analyze varicosities immunoreactive to vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP-IR) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP-IR). L-Glutamine in the DG group (i) prevented the increase in the cell body area of nNOS-IR neurons, (ii) prevented the increase in the area of VIP-IR varicosities, (iii) did not prevent the loss of HuC/D-IR and nNOS-IR neurons per ganglion, and (iv) reduced the size of CGRP-IR varicosities. L-Glutamine in the NG group reduced (i) the number of HuC/D-IR and nNOS-IR neurons per ganglion, (ii) the cell body area of nNOS-IR neurons, and (iii) the size of VIP-IR and CGRP-IR varicosities. 2% L-glutamine supplementation exerted differential neuroprotective effects in experimental diabetes neuropathy that depended on the type of neurotransmitter analyzed. However, the effects of this dose of L-glutamine on normoglycemic animals suggests there are additional actions of this beyond its antioxidant capacity.

Supplementation with L-Glutamine and L-Alanyl-L-Glutamine Changes Biochemical Parameters and Jejunum Morphophysiology in Type 1 Diabetic Wistar Rats

We evaluated the effects of the supplementation with L-glutamine and glutamine dipeptide (GDP) on biochemical and morphophysiological parameters in streptozotocin-diabetic rats. For this purpose, thirty animals were distributed into six groups treated orally (gavage) during thirty days: non diabetic rats (Control) + saline, diabetic + saline; Control + L-glutamine (248 mg/kg), Diabetic + L-glutamine (248 mg/kg), Control + GDP (400 mg/kg), Diabetic + GDP (400 mg/kg). Diabetes was induced by an intravenous injection of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg) and confirmed by fasting glucose ≥ 200 mg/dL. Physiological parameters, i.e., body mass, food intake, blood glucose, water intake, urine and faeces were evaluated during supplementation. After the period of supplementation, the animals were euthanized. The blood was collected for biochemical assays (fructosamine, transaminases, lipid profile, total protein, urea, ammonia). Moreover, the jejunum was excised and stored for morphophysiological assays (intestinal enzyme activity, intestinal wall morphology, crypt proliferative index, number of serotoninergic cells from the mucosa, and vipergic neurons from the submucosal tunica). The physiological parameters, protein metabolism and intestinal enzyme activity did not change with the supplementation with L-glutamine or GDP. In diabetic animals, transaminases and fructosamine improved with L-glutamine and GDP supplementations, while the lipid profile improved with L-glutamine. Furthermore, both forms of supplementation promoted changes in jejunal tunicas and wall morphometry of control and diabetic groups, but only L-glutamine promoted maintenance of serotoninergic cells and vipergic neurons populations. On the other hand, control animals showed changes that may indicate negative effects of L-glutamine. Thus, the supplementation with L-glutamine was more efficient for maintaining intestinal morphophysiology and the supplementation with GDP was more efficient to the organism as a whole. Thus, we can conclude that local differences in absorption and metabolism could explain the differences between the supplementation with L-glutamine or GDP.