Skeletal muscle glutamine metabolism during sepsis in the rat

1. The effect of sepsis, induced by caecal ligation plus puncture (CLP) or endotoxin injection, on glutamine metabolism was studied in rat skeletal muscle. 2. The concentration of glutamine in muscle was decreased by CLP or after 24 or 48 hr after injection of endotoxin. However, the concentration was increased 3 hr after injection of endotoxin. 3. The plasma glutamine concentration was decreased by CLP, but it was unchanged after injection of endotoxin. 4. The rate of glutamine release from incubated stripped soleus muscles was increased in the muscles removed from animals subjected to CLP or from animals injected with endotoxin. 5. It is concluded that sepsis results in marked changes in skeletal muscle glutamine metabolism, which may be used as an early indicator of the septic state. During sepsis there is likely to be an increased demand for glutamine by the immune system, kidney and intestine. 6. This study provides evidence that during sepsis the rate of release of glutamine from the skeletal muscle per se is increased to a sufficient extent to satisfy this increased requirement.