| dc.description.abstract | Spinal cord injury (SCI) results in loss of muscle function due to the rapid breakdown of muscle contractile
proteins and high incidence of inflammation that directly hinder rehabilitation. Glutamine is
an amino acid that plays a critical role in muscle integrity and in reducing inflammation, however,
impaired glutamine synthesis occurs under stressful conditions. Glutamine supplementation can improve
clinical outcomes from acute infection to sepsis, but its effects on skeletal muscle function in
the early stages after a SCI are unknown. Based on glutamine’s benefits and clinical applicability
these experiments tested the hypothesis that glutamine treatment can preserve muscle mass, strength,
and fatigue resistance in a mouse model of SCI. Changes in muscle mass, maximal isometric force,
and fatigability will be measured 7 days after sham or spinal cord transection (ST) surgery in mice
receiving either placebo or glutamine (n=3-5/group). ST significantly reduced gastrocnemius mass
independent of saline or glutamine treatment. Maximal isometric force normalized to body or muscle
mass was not different among groups. Fatigue resistance was reduced with ST + saline, however,
glutamine supplementation prevented the loss of fatigue resistance (38±9 vs. 57±5% of max force,
respectively). Preliminary results suggest that 7 days after a SCI significant reductions in muscle fatigue
resistance can be reversed by glutamine supplementation. Additional studies can continue to
establish the protective effects of glutamine on muscle endurance with SCI, underscoring the importance
of glutamine as a therapeutic intervention to accelerate the recovery of muscle function after a
SCI. | en_US |
