Effect of glutamine on intestinal barrier function following liver transplantation in rats.

OBJECTIVES: Glutamine is an important fuel for intestinal mucosal epithelial cells, and it promotes intestinal mucosal cell differentiation and proliferation. Most liver transplantation (LT) patients suffer from intestinal barrier dysfunction. Whether enteral glutamine supplementation has beneficial effects on intestinal barrier function following LT is not known. We investigated the effect of glutamine (Gln) supplementation on NF-κB and on the intestinal barrier in rats after an allogenic LT with concomitant immunosuppressive therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Inbred Sprague-Dawley rats (n=40) receiving allogenic LT were randomly divided into Gln and control groups (n=20, each). Gln group rats were administered Gln (0.4 g/kg·day) by gastric infusion for 6 days, while control rats received saline. Ten rats from each group were sampled for basal parameters on the 3rd day, prior to LT. The remaining 10 from each group were sampled after receiving LT. Twenty inbred Sprague-Dawley rats were selected as donors. The 20 recipients underwent orthotopic LT after 3 days of treatment and were given immunosuppressive therapy for 6 days post-operation. They were euthanized for sample collection on the 7th day. NF-κB protein in the intestinal mucosa, portal plasma Gln, endotoxin and TNF-α levels, ileocecal sIgA content, bacterial translocation and mucosal ultrastructure were assessed. RESULTS: On the postoperative day 6, the Gln group had increased plasma Gln and ileocecal sIgA (secretory IgA). Gln group also showed improvement in mucosal microvilli structure and had reduced levels of intestinal mucosal NF-κB, portal endotoxin and TNF-α and decreased bacterial translocation as compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Parenteral supplementation of glutamine ameliorated mucosal injury during allogenic LT, and improved intestinal barrier function. These findings suggest that glutamine supplementation may be an effective therapy to ensure successful recovery from liver transplantation.

Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of creeping bentgrass using GFP as a reporter gene.

Creeping bentgrass (Agrostis palustris Huds.) is a cool season grass widely used on putting greens in golf courses. Transformation of creeping bentgrass has been conducted using microprojectile bombardment and protoplast electroporation. The objective of our study is to develop an alternative and more efficient approach in transforming the grass using Agrobacterium (strain EHA 101). This technique was effective in transforming 40-day old calli derived from mature seeds cultured on MS medium supplemented with 2,4-D, kinetin, and sucrose. Dozens of transgenic plants have been produced from two independent transformed calli. Presence of functional green fluorescence protein (GFP) was detected in leaves, stems, and roots of transgenic seedlings. Four putative transgenic plants and two control plants were randomly chosen and analyzed by Southern blot analysis. Bands corresponding to the GFP gene were clearly shown in transgenic plants. These results indicated that Agrobacterium transformation can successfully be applied to creeping bentgrass.

Mono- and sesquiterpenes and antifungal constituents from Artemisia species.

In addition to beta-sitosterol and alpha-amyrin detected in all the investigated species, the extract of the aerial parts of Artemisia giraldii var. giraldii gave stigmasterol, daucosterol, sesamine, luteolin, eupafolin, hispidulin, eupatilin, belamcanidin, pinitol, artemin, ridentin, and a new antifungal monoterpene (named santolinylol) while that of the aerial parts of A. mongolica afforded sesamine, eupafolin, eupatilin, matricarin, and a new germacranolide (3-oxo-11 alpha H-germacra-1(10)E,4Z-dien-12,6 alpha-olide), and that of the aerial parts of A. vestita yielded stigmasterol, daucosterol, umbelliferone, scopolin, scoparone, and isoscopoletin-O-glucoside. Pinitol, first reisolated from Artemisia genus, was shown to inhibit the growth of the human pathogenic fungi Candida albicans, Aspergillus flavus, A. niger, Geotrichun candidum, Trichophyton rubrum, and Epidermophyton floccosum. Umbelliferone was also active against Candida tropicalis, A. flavus, G. candidum, T. rubrum, and E. floccosum. The flavones hispidulin and belamcanidin were almost equally inhibitory to the growth of A. flavus, G. candidum, T. rubrum, and E. floccosum, and santolinylol to C. albicans, A. flavus, A. niger, G. candidum, T. rubrum, and E. floccosum. In addition, ridentin was active against the growth of the plant pathogenic fungus Cladosporium cucumerinum.