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Review: Glutamine and Nucleotide Metabolism Within Enterocytes
Author(s) -
McCauley Rosalie,
Kong SungEun,
Hall John
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
journal of parenteral and enteral nutrition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.935
H-Index - 98
eISSN - 1941-2444
pISSN - 0148-6071
DOI - 10.1177/0148607198022002105
Subject(s) - glutamine , nucleotide , enterocyte , biochemistry , nucleic acid , metabolism , purine , purine metabolism , biology , de novo synthesis , pyrimidine metabolism , nucleotide salvage , small intestine , amino acid , enzyme , gene
Glutamine has an important role as a source of energy for enterocytes. However, it may also have a key role as a source of nitrogen for the synthesis of nucleotides. The relative contribution of de novo synthesis and salvage pathways seems to be affected by the position of enterocytes within the crypt‐villus axis as well as the dietary intake of nucleic acids and glutamine. Nucleotides are especially important to enterocytes during intestinal development, maturation, and repair. Hence an understanding of nucleotide metabolism within enterocytes has important implications regarding both the composition and route of administration of nutrient solutions. Many important questions remain unanswered, in particular: Does glutamine stimulate intestinal de novo pyrimidine synthesis via the action of carbamoyl phosphate synthetase I? Can de novo purine synthesis maintain intestinal purine pools in the absence of dietary nucleic acids? And, what are the specific effects of parenterally administered nucleotides on the metabolism and well‐being of enterocytes? A greater understanding of these issues will lead to a more rational approach toward the nutritional modulation of gut dysfunction. (Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition 22: 105–111, 1998)