EFFECT OF PREOPERATIVE GLUTAMINE ADMINISTRATION ON ICAM-1 EXPRESSION IN RAT LUNG INDUCED BY INTESTINAL ISCHEMIA-REPERFUSION

Objective To evaluate the effect of preoperative glutamine administration on intracellular adhesion molecule-l (ICAM-l) expression in rat lung induced by intestinal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R). Methods Sprague-Dawley rats (n=25) were randomly divided into 5 groups: sham group (sham surgery), glutamine groups (three different doses) and control group. All groups except sham were subjected to intestinal l/R injury, and superior mesenteric artery (SMA) occluded for 60 mm followed by 90 mm of reperfusion. Lung injury was evaluated with Evans blue dye concentration and histopathologic examination. The immunohistochemical expression and mRNA expression of ICAM-l were measured with immunohistochemical staining and RT-PCR method respectively. The level of myeloperoxidase (MPO) was also measured with biochemistry method. Results Intestinal 1/R resulted in lung injury characterized by an increase in Evans blue dye concentration, neutrophil sequestration, and obvious staining for expression of pulmonary ICAM-l, compared with sham group. The expression of ICAM-l and the level of MPO in rat lung were lower in glutamine groups compared with control group. Conclusion I-R injury increases the expression of ICAM-l within the lung. This may contribute to the migration, accumulation and activation of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) after such injury. Preoperative glutamine administration attenuates rat lung injury induced by intestinal I-R, and inhibiting ICAM-l expression maybe one of the potential mechanisms.