[15N]- and [14C]glutamine fluxes across rabbit ileum in experimental bacterial diarrhea

L-Glutamine (Gln) fluxes and the effects of Gln on Na and Cl transport were studied across the ileum of healthy and rabbit diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (RDEC-1)-infected weanling rabbits. Stable ([alpha-15N]Gln) and radioisotopic ([U-14C]Gln) tracers provided identical estimates of Gln transport both in healthy (H) and infected (I) rabbits. RDEC-1 infection, however, decreased net Gln flux [Jnet[14C]Gln = 682 +/- 147 (H) vs. 278 +/- 63 (I); Jnet[15N]Gln = 739 +/- 160 vs. 225 +/- 110 nmol.h-1.cm-2] due to a reduction in mucosal-to-serosal flux. After addition of Gln, increases in net Na absorption [delta Jnet[15N]Gln = 1.87 +/- 0.45 (H) vs. 0.70 +/- 0.27 (I) microeq.h-1.cm-2] and short-circuit current (delta Isc) [1.80 +/- 0.40 (H) vs. 0.74 +/- 0.14 (I) microeq.h-1.cm-2] were also reduced in infected rabbits. Addition of glucose after Gln, however, stimulated Na absorption further. These results indicate that 1) Gln is actively absorbed as intact Gln molecule across rabbit ileum; 2) Gln stimulates an electrogenic Na absorption in a 1:2 ratio that may be further stimulated by glucose; and 3) in RDEC-1 infection electroneutral NaCl absorption, intact Gln absorption, and electrogenic stimulation of Na absorption by glutamine are reduced.