Effects of enteral nutrition supplemented with glutamine on intestinal mucosal immunity in burned mice

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to investigate the effects of enteral nutrition (EN) supplemented with glutamine (GLN) on Peyer's patches and intestinal immunoglobulin A (IgA) response in burned mice.MethodsThirty-four mice were randomly assigned to a normal control group (n = 10), an EN group (n = 12), and an EN supplemented with GLN (EN + GLN) group (n = 12) and mice in the EN and EN + GLN groups received a 20% total body surface area, full-thickness scald burn on the back. Then the burned mice were fed with conventional EN or EN + GLN for 7 d. There was isonitrogenous and isocaloric intake in the EN and EN + GLN groups. On day 7 after injury, entire intestines were collected and intestinal IgA levels, total lymphocyte yield, lymphocyte subpopulations, and total apoptotic ratio in Peyer's patches were analyzed.ResultsTotal lymphocyte yield, numbers of lymphocyte subpopulations, and intestinal IgA levels in the EN + GLN group were significantly higher than those in the EN group (P < 0.05). The total apoptotic ratio in Peyer's patches was markedly decreased in the EN + GLN group compared with that in the EN group (P < 0.05).ConclusionThe results indicated that EN supplemented with GLN is superior to conventional EN with respect to improvement of intestinal immunity in burned mice.