Role of vascular endothelial growth factor in rats with severe acute pancreatitis / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the pathogenesis of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) in rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty-four male SD rats were randomly divided into control group and SAP group, and in the latter group, SAP was induced by retrograde injection of 5% sodium taurocholate in the pancreaticobiliary duct. The rats were sacrificed at 1, 3, 6 and 12 h after the operation, and the severity of pancreatitis was assessed according to histological scoring. The serum levels of VEGF were examined with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the expression of VEGF in the pancreatic tissues was measured by SP immunohistochemistry. Another 30 SD rats were randomized into the control group, SAP group and SAP+recombinant rat VEGF injection group, and the vascular permeability of the pancreatic microcirculation was determined by Evans Blue leakage test.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>At each of the time points for measurement, both the serum VEGF level and scores of pancreatic tissue injury were significantly higher in SAP group than in the control group (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the expressions of VEGF in the pancreatic tissues of SAP group were significantly up-regulated following the operation (P<0.05). The vascular permeability of the pancreatic microcirculation significantly increased after the onset of SAP, and injection of recombinant rat VEGF significantly increased the leakage rate of Evans Blue.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>VEGF may play an important role in the pathogenesis of pancreatitis and in causing edema and hemorrhage in SAP, and the level of serum VEGF may reflect the severity of pancreatic injury.</p>

Protective effects of captopril against lung injury in rats with severe acute pancreatitis / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the protective effects of captopril against lung injury in a rat model of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Seventy-two male SD rats were randomized into sham-operated group (SO group), SAP group and captopril intervention group (CAP group). Serum amylase and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in the lung tissue were examined at 1, 6 and 12 h after the operation. TNF-α and AngII in the lung tissue were detected by ELISA, and the histopathological changes of the pancreas and lung were observed microscopically.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The MPO activity , which was similar between SAP group and CAP group at 1 h, were significantly lowered in CAP group at 6 and 12 h (P<0.05). Serum amylase level and the levels of TNF-α and AngII in the lung tissue homogenate were all reduced significantly in CAP group as compared to those in SAP group (P<0.01). The pathological injury of the lung was obviously lessened in CAP group in comparison with that in SAP group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Captopril can ameliorate SAP-induced lung injury in rats.</p>

Protective effect of proteasome inhibitor MG-132 in rats with severe acute pancreatitis and lung injury / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the protective effect of the proteasome inhibitor MG-132 in rats with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) and the associated lung injury.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In rat models of the SAP established with injection of 5% sodium taurocholate into the biliary-pancreatic duct, the changes of the serum amylase and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in the pancreatic and lung tissues were evaluated. The pathological changes of the pancreatic and lung tissues were also observed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>MG-132 significantly decreased serum amylase, pancreatic weight/body weight ratio, and pancreatic and pulmonary myeloperoxidase activity (P<0.05). Histopathological examinations revealed milder edema, cellular damage, and inflammation in the pancreatic and lung tissues of rats pretreated with the peptide (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>MG-132 ameliorates SAP and the associated lung injury in rats.</p>