Inhibition of Intestinal Thiamin Transport in Rat Model of Sepsis

Abstract

Objective Thiamin deficiency is highly prevalent in patients with sepsis, but the mechanism by which sepsis induces thiamin deficiency is unknown. This study aimed to determine the influence of various severity of sepsis on carrier-mediated intestinal thiamin uptake, level of expressions of thiamin transporters (thiamin transporter-1 (THTR-1) and thiamin transporter-2 (THTR-2)), and mitochondrial thiamin pyrophosphate transporter (MTPPT). Design Randomized, controlled study Setting Research laboratory at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center Subjects Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into controls, mild, moderate and severe sepsis with equal number of animals in each group. Measurements and Main Results Sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture with the cecum ligated below the cecal valve at 25 %, 50 % and 75 % of cecal length, defined as severe, moderate and mild sepsis, respectively. Control animals underwent laparotomy only. After 2 days of induced sepsis, carrier-mediated intestinal thiamin uptake was measured using [3H]thiamin. Expressions of THTR-1, THTR-2, and MTPPT proteins and mRNA were measured. Proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and IL-6), and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) were also measured. Sepsis inhibited [3H]thiamin uptake and the inhibition was a function of sepsis severity. Both cell membranes thiamin transporters and MTPPT expression levels were suppressed; also levels of ATP in the intestine of animals with moderate and severe sepsis were significantly lower than that of sham operated controls. Conclusions For the first time we demonstrated that sepsis inhibited carrier-mediated intestinal thiamin uptake as a function of sepsis severity, suppressed thiamin transporters and MTPPT, leading to ATP depletion.

Thiamine supplementation may be associated with improved prognosis in patients with sepsis

“…Moreover, the combination of multi-organ dysfunction in sepsis patients may impede the transport and utilisation of thiamine, and operations such as haemodialysis may also increase its excretion (28) . Animal tests show that sepsis inhibits the intestinal absorption of thiamine, resulting in less ATP production and affecting energy metabolism (29) . In one study, the prevalence of thiamine deficiency in patients with sepsis was 10 % upon initial admission, increasing to 20 % within the next 72 h (30) .…”