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Simultaneous Infusion of Glutamine and Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAA) to Septic Rats Does Not Have More Favorable Effect on Protein Synthesis in Muscle, Liver, and Small Intestine Than Separate Infusions

From the Department of Physiology and Department of Biochemistry, Charles University, Medical Faculty, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic

Correspondence: Milan Holecek, MD, Department of Physiology, Charles University School of Medicine, Simkova 870, 500 01 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic. Electronic mail may be sent to holecek{at}lfhk.cuni.cz.

Background: Glutamine and branched-chain amino acids (BCAA; valine, leucine, and isoleucine) are used as nutrition supplements in the treatment of proteocatabolic illness. We hypothesized that simultaneous administration of BCAA and glutamine affects protein metabolism more significantly than separate administration. In the present study, we evaluated their effect on protein synthesis in skeletal muscle, liver, and jejunum of septic rats. Methods: Twenty-four hours after induction of sepsis by subcutaneous injection of turpentine, the rats were infused for 6 hours with 5 mL of 1.75% glutamine, 1.75% BCAA, 1.75% glutamine + BCAA, or saline solution. The control group consisted of intact rats infused with saline. Protein synthesis was measured at the end of infusion by a "flooding method" with [3,4,5-³H]phenylalanine. Results: In turpentine-treated animals, we observed a decrease in glutamine concentration in blood plasma and skeletal muscle, a decrease in BCAA concentration in liver and jejunum, and a decrease in protein synthesis in all tissues. Glutamine or glutamine + BCAA infusion increased glutamine concentration in plasma and muscle and stimulated protein synthesis in the liver. The BCAA infusion enhanced concentrations of BCAA in plasma and tissues, but the effect of BCAA on protein synthesis was insignificant. Synergistic effect of simultaneous infusion of glutamine and BCAA on protein synthesis was not observed. Conclusions: We conclude that glutamine infusion to rats with septic injury may significantly improve impaired protein synthesis in the liver and that there is no synergistic effect of glutamine and BCAA infusion on protein synthesis in skeletal muscle, liver, and jejunum.

Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, Vol. 30, No. 6, 467-473 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/0148607106030006467


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