Proective effects of glutamine on intestinal injury of infant rats induced by endotoxin.

Objectives: To study the effects of LPS to intestines of infant rats and testify the protective effects of glutamine.Methods: 10-day-old Wistar infant rats were divided by groups A,B,C.Group A were served as the normal control group and injected with normal saline(1ml/kg) intraperioneally.Group B and C were treated with LPS(1ml/kg) and LPS(1ml/kg)+Gln(10ml/kg) intraperioneal respectively.Followed by LPS administration,intestinal tissues were collected at 2,6,and 24h to examine TNF-α expression,MDA productions and intestinal histological changes.Results: It can be seen the TNF-α expression in epithelial cells of intestines.The IODT of TNF-α and MDA contents were significantly increased in group B and reached the maximum 6h after LPS administration(37247.64±3168.80 vs 6191.02±482.32,P0.01;7.601±1.144 vs 5.014±0.741,P0.01).Contrasted with group B,The expression of TNF-α of group C were decreased and still sustained high level at every time,P0.01.Whereas the contents of MDA were decreased than group B(P0.01) but had no discrepancy with group A(P0.05)at 24h group.The ultra structure of intestinal tissues had obvious changes in group B,which improved in group C.Conclusion: LPS can induce the intestinal injuries in infant rats and glutamine have marked protectively effects.