Authors: Ralf Segersvärd Catarina Rippe Marie DuPlantier Margery K Herrington Bengt Isaksson Thomas E Adrian Charlotte ErlansonAlbertsson Johan Permert
Publish Date: 2005/03/22
Volume: 320, Issue: 2, Pages: 251-258
Abstract
Uncouplingprotein 2 UCP2 is a mitochondrial protein that appears to be involved in cellular oxidant defense and in the regulation of oncotic cell death both of which are important features of acute pancreatitis However UCP2 expression in acute pancreatitis has not been previously reported In the current experiments pancreatic gene expression was studied by realtime reversetranscription/polymerase chain reaction and Northern blots Two models of acute experimental pancreatitis were investigated ceruleininduced pancreatitis in mice at two different time points and taurocholateinduced pancreatitis in rats at two degrees of severity After cerulein administration acinar injury and leukocyte infiltration was significantly higher at 24 h compared with 12 h after the first injection of cerulein P005 P0005 respectively UCP2 mRNA was unchanged at 12 h but was nearly 12fold greater than control levels after 24 h P0001 UCP2 gene expression correlated with acinar injury r=069 P0001 By 72 h after taurocholate administration the severe group had more necrosis than the mild group P0005 Pancreatic UCP2 mRNA was increased fourfold in the severe group compared with controls P001 UCP2 expression correlated with parenchymal necrosis r=061 P001 Thus pancreatic UCP2 mRNA increased in two models of acute pancreatitis The increase in UCP2 gene expression was correlated with the severity of the disease Upregulation of UCP2 in the pancreas may be a protective response to oxidative stress but this increase may also have a negative influence on cellular energy metabolism Therefore acinar UCP2 may be an important modifier of the severity of acute pancreatitis
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