Prevention of bacterial translocation using glutamine: a new strategy of investigation

Objective: This study investigated the role of glutamine (Gin) on bacterial translocation in an intestinal obstruction model by using Escherichia coli labeled with technetium 99m (Tc-99m-E. coli). Methods: Intestinal obstruction was performed by a single ligature of the terminal ileum in rats. Animals in the control group (group 1) were sham operated (not obstructed). Experimental group 2 had intestinal obstruction. Groups 1 and 2 were not treated with Gin. Groups 3 and 4 were treated with Gin for 7 d before surgery with 250 and 500 mg (.) kg(-1) (.) d(-1), respectively. A suspension containing 100 million colony-forming units/mL of Tc-99m-E. coli was injected into the lumen of the ileum. Twenty-four hours after surgery, blood, mesenteric lymph nodes, livers, spleens, and lungs were collected for determination of radioactivity. The Mann-Whitney U test was performed for statistical analysis. P <= 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Rats that had an intestinal obstruction showed a significant increase in Tc-99m-E. coli translocation from the lumen to all organs investigated compared with the sham-operated group (P <= 0.01). There was a significant difference between the intestinally obstructed group and Group 4 treated with Gin at 500 mg (.) kg(-1) (.) d(-1) (P <= 0.05), which did not occur in Group 3 treated with Gin at 250 mg (.) kg(-1) (.) d(-1). Conclusions: The new method using Tc-99m-E. coli was found to be suitable for studies of bacterial translocation. Gin did not prevent bacterial translocation but did significantly decrease the spread of Tc-99m-E. coli among organs such as the liver, lung, and spleen. The effect of Gin in cases of intestinal obstruction was found to be dose dependent. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.