Effects of glycyl-L-glutamine and methylprednisolone on maintenance of acetylcholinesterase of transected rat sciatic nerves.

Under anesthesia with sodium pentobarbital, the sciatic nerves of rats were transected bilaterally, and a catheter was inserted into the central end of the left renal artery. After an initial flush, an Alzet pump was attached to the catheter, containing various concentrations of glycyl-L-glutamine (Gly-Gln), methylprednisolone sodium succinate (MePred), or both. Rats were sacrificed at intervals of 2, 4, or 6 days; the peripheral portions of the sciatic nerves were excised, homogenized, and centrifuged, and the supernates were assayed for acetylcholinesterase (AcChoEase; acetylcholine acetylhydrolase, EC 3.1.1.7) and protein. Significantly higher contents of AcChoEase over untreated transected controls were obtained (i) at 4 days posttransection in rats infused with 0.015 M Gly-Gln and (ii) at 6 days posttransection in rats infused with MePred at 3.0 mg.kg-1.hr-1 after an initial dose of 120 mg/kg with or without Gly-Gln.