The present preliminary investigation was designed to identify biomarkers in the progression of pancreatitis in Chinese patients with acute pancreatitis. Chinese patients aged <60 years with a confirmed diagnosis of acute pancreatitis were enrolled. A saliva sample was collected using salimetrics oral swab in precooled polypropylene tubes to prevent degradation of sensitive peptides. All samples were then centrifuged at 700 × g for 15 min at 4°C to remove debris. The supernatant of each sample was fractionated into 100µL aliquots and frozen at -70°C until analyses using affymetrix HG U133 Plus 2.0 array technique. Bedside index for severity acute pancreatitis (BISAP) score and CT severity index were recorded for each enrolled patient to assess the progression and severity of acute pancreatitis. Data from a total of 210 patients (105 patients in each group) were analyzed. Among identified biomarkers, acrosomal vesicle protein 1 was significantly higher in patients with disease progression as compared to patient without disease progression. Logistic regression model showed that acrosomal vesicle protein 1 (ACRV1) were positively correlated with the progression of diseases. The present reports showed that a mRNA salivary biomarker (ACRV1) are associated with progression of pancreatitis in patients with early stage of pancreatitis. This study suggest that mRNA salivary biomarker (ACRV1) is a predictor of pancreatitis progression.