Is Glutamine a Conditionally
Essential Amino Acid?

The nonessential amino acid glutamine has recently been the focus of extensive scientific interest because of its importance in cell and tissue cultures and its physiological role in animals and humans. Glutamine appears to be a unique amino acid, serving as a preferred respiratory fuel for rapidly proliferating cells, such as enterocytes and lymphocytes; a regulator of acid-base balance through the production of urinary ammonia; a carrier of nitrogen between tissues; and an important precursor of nucleic acids, nucleotides, amino sugars and proteins.

Abundant evidence suggests that glutamine may become a ‘conditionally essential’ amino acid in the critically ill. During stress the body’s requirements for glutamine in specialized enteral or parenteral feeding may enhance nutritional management and augment recovery of the seriously ill while minimizing hospital stay.

Lacey JM and Wilmore DW, "Is glutamine a conditionally essential amino acid?" Nutr. Rev. (1990) vol.48 no.8: pg. 297-309.

Glutamine and cancer:
A review from the Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston.

ABSTRACT:
OBJECTIVE: This overview on glutamine and cancer discusses the importance of glutamine metabolism that develop in the tumor-bearing host, and reviews the potential benefits of glutamine nutrition in the patient with cancer.

SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the blood and tissues. It is essential for tumor growth and marked changes in organ glutamine metabolism are characteristic of the host with cancer. Because host glutamine depletion has adverse effects, it is important to study the regulation of glutamine nutrition in the tumor-bearing state.

METHODS: Data from a variety of investigations on glutamine metabolism and nutrition related to the host with cancer were compiled and summarized.

RESULTS: Numerous studies on glutamine metabolism in cancer indicate that many tumors are avid glutamine consumers invivo and in vitro. As a consequence of progressive tumor growth, host glutamine depletion develops and becomes a hallmark. This glutamine depletion occurs in part because the tumor behaves as a glutamine trap but also because of cytikine-mediated alterations in glutamine metabolism in host tissues. Animal and human studies that have investigated the use of glutamine-supplemented nutrition in the host with cancer suggest that pharmacologic doses of dietary glutamine may be beneficial.

CONCLUSIONS: Understanding the control of glutamine metabolism in the tumor-bearing host not only improves the knowledge of metabolic regulation in the patient with cancer bit also will lead to improved nutritional support regimens targeted to benefit the host.

Souba, WW., "Glutamine and Cancer." Review Article, Ann Surg (1993 Dec) vol.218 no.6: 715-28.

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