Background and aim: This study sought to investigate the effects of hypothermia induced by adenosine 5'-monophosphate (5'-AMP) on L-arginine (L-Arg)-induced acute pancreatitis in rats.
Methods: The rats were divided into four groups: the control group, the acute pancreatitis group, the 5'-AMP pretreatment group, and the 5'-AMP posttreatment group. Rats in all groups, except for the control group, received two injections of 2.5 g/kg body weight (intraperitoneally) L-Arg, with an interval of 1 h between the injections. Subsequently, the rats were observed to assess whether hypothermia induced by 5'-AMP could effectively inhibit inflammation associated with L-Arg-induced acute pancreatitis in rats.
Results: Hypothermia induced by 5'-AMP produced protective effects in our acute pancreatitis model. These effects exhibited the following manifestations: (i) a significant reduction in rat mortality rates; (ii) a significant decrease in the occurrence of pancreatic edema; (iii) significant reductions in serum amylase (P < 0.001), interleukin-6 (P < 0.001), interleukin-1β (P < 0.001) and tumor necrosis factor-α (P < 0.001); (iv) the significant inhibition of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation in rats that were pre- and posttreated with 5'-AMP compared with rats that were only injected with L-Arg; and (v) significant decreases in the occurrence of pancreatic interstitial edema, inflammatory cell infiltration, hemorrhage, and acinar cell necrosis.
Conclusions: Hypothermia induced by 5'-AMP could inhibit the acute inflammatory reaction and NF-κB activation associated with acute pancreatitis.
Keywords: L-arginine; acute pancreatitis; adenosine 5′-monophosphate.
© 2013 Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Foundation and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.