The Glutamine Metabolic Switch Influences the Response of Neonatal Intestinal Macrophages to Breast Milk.

ABSTRACT:

Background & aims

Breast milk contains abundant glutamine and glutamate, yet their roles in neonatal gut health remain controversial. We aimed to investigate how these amino acids influence neonatal enteritis and the underlying mechanisms.

Methods

We used a neonatal rat necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) model to test the effects of glutamine and glutamate given either before disease onset or during NEC progression. Previously published human neonatal NEC single-cell RNA psequencing (scRNA-seq) data were reanalyzed to assess immune cell composition and pathway activity. Bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) were used to examine inflammatory responses in vitro. Flow cytometry and transcriptomics were applied to analyze metabolic reprogramming of ileal macrophages.

Results</

SUBMITTER: Han X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12814691 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature