Oxidative damage repair by glutamine in fish enterocytes

Area of Science:

• Aquatic animal health
• Fish nutrition
• Cellular biology

Background:

• Fish intestine is susceptible to oxidative damage, impacting overall health.
• Enterocyte repair is crucial for maintaining intestinal function, but research is limited.
• Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a common inducer of oxidative stress in aquatic models.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the protective and repair effects of glutamine on fish enterocytes following oxidative stress induced by H2O2.
• To evaluate glutamine's role in restoring cellular functions and antioxidant defenses in fish enterocytes.

Main Methods:

• Fish enterocytes were exposed to 100 μM H2O2, followed by post-treatment with varying concentrations of glutamine (0-20 mM).
• Assessed cell viability using MTT assay and measured alkaline phosphatase and Na(+), K(+)-ATPase activities.
• Quantified cellular injury markers (LDH), lipid peroxidation (MDA), protein oxidation (carbonyls), and antioxidant status (glutathione, SOD, GR, GPx).

Main Results:

• Glutamine treatment fully restored H2O2-induced decreases in cell viability and enzyme activities.
• Glutamine reversed cellular injury, lipid peroxidation, and protein oxidation caused by H2O2.
• Glutamine supplementation normalized glutathione levels and the activities of key antioxidant enzymes (GR, SOD, GPx).

Conclusions:

• Glutamine significantly enhances the repair capacity of fish enterocytes against H2O2-induced oxidative damage.
• Glutamine supplementation is effective in restoring intestinal cell function and antioxidant defense mechanisms in fish.
• These findings highlight glutamine's potential as a therapeutic agent in managing oxidative stress in aquaculture.