The aim of this study was to assess the effect of enhanced extracellular concentration of glutamine (GLN) on leucine oxidation, amino acid concentrations, and protein metabolism in skeletal muscle of intact, laparotomized, and septic rats. Cecal ligation and puncture was used as a model of sepsis.
It is concluded that muscles with higher proportion of white fibers are more sensitive to septic stimuli than muscles with higher proportion of red fibers and that enhanced GLN availability exerts different effects on skeletal muscle in septic and healthy conditions. In sepsis may enhanced GLN availability correct GLN deficiency, inhibit BCAA catabolism and exert favorable effect on protein synthesis.
In healthy state may enhanced GLN availability lead to severe alterations in intramuscular concentration of a number of amino acids and impair protein synthesis.