Is l-Glutathione More Effective Than l-Glutamine in Preventing Enteric Diabetic Neuropathy?

• Published in: Digestive diseases and sciences Vol. 59; no. 5; pp. 937 - 948
• Main Authors: Hermes-Uliana, Catchia, Panizzon, Cynthia Priscilla do Nascimento Bonato, Trevizan, Aline Rosa, Sehaber, Camila Caviquioli, Ramalho, Francielle Veiga, Martins, Heber Amilcar, Zanoni, Jacqueline Nelisis
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01.05.2014; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Analysis; Animals; Antioxidants; Biochemistry; Blotting, Western; Development and progression; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental - complications; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental - drug therapy; Diabetic neuropathies; Diabetic Neuropathies - drug therapy; Diabetic Neuropathies - prevention & control; Dietary Supplements; Enteric Nervous System - cytology; Enteric Nervous System - drug effects; Gastroenterology; Glutamine; Glutamine - therapeutic use; Glutathione - therapeutic use; Hepatology; Intestinal Diseases - drug therapy; Intestinal Diseases - etiology; Jejunal Diseases - drug therapy; Jejunal Diseases - etiology; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Neurons; Nitric oxide; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I - genetics; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I - metabolism; Oncology; Original Article; Pneumoviridae; Prevention; Random Allocation; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Thiols; Transplant Surgery; Vincristine; Antioxidants; Enteric nervous system; Neuronal nitric oxide synthase; Diabetes mellitus; Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide
• ISSN: 0163-2116; 1573-2568
• DOI: 10.1007/s10620-013-2993-2

Background Diabetes and its complications appear to be multifactorial. Substances with antioxidant potential have been used to protect enteric neurons in experimental diabetes. Aim This study evaluated the effects of supplementation with l -glutamine and l -glutathione on enteric neurons in the jejunum in diabetic rats. Methods Rats at 90 days of age were distributed into six groups: normoglycemic, normoglycemic supplemented with 2 % l -glutamine, normoglycemic supplemented with 1 % l -glutathione, diabetic (D), diabetic supplemented with 2 % l -glutamine (DG), and diabetic supplemented with 1 % l -glutathione (DGT). After 120 days, the jejunums were immunohistochemically stained for HuC/D+ neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP). Western blot was performed to evaluate nNOS and VIP. Submucosal and myenteric neurons were quantitatively and morphometrically analyzed. Results Diabetic neuropathy was observed in myenteric HuC/D, nNOS, and VIP neurons ( p  < 0.05). In the submucosal plexus, diabetes did not change nitrergic innervation but increased VIPergic neuronal density and body size ( p  < 0.05). Supplementation with l -glutathione prevented changes in HuC/D neurons in the enteric plexus ( p  < 0.05), showing that supplementation with l -glutathione was more effective than with l -glutamine. Myenteric nNOS neurons in the DGT group exhibited a reduced density (34.5 %) and reduced area ( p  < 0.05). Submucosal neurons did not exhibit changes. The increase in VIP-expressing neurons was prevented in the submucosal plexus in the DG and DGT groups ( p  < 0.05). Conclusion Supplementation with l -glutathione exerted a better neuroprotective effect than l -glutamine and may prevent the development of enteric diabetic neuropathy.