Objectives: Ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) of the pancreas is a serious complication following pancreatic transplantation and hemorrhagic shock. The present study was designed to investigate the influence of the potent mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor everolimus interfering via microvascular permeability changing key proteins hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) and vascular endothelial growth factor on pancreatic IRI-induced microvascular disturbances.
Methods: Anesthetized male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to 3 groups (n = 7/group): (1) sham, (2) 60-minute ischemia/reperfusion of the pancreas (I/R), and (3) I/R and everolimus (10 mg/kg BW orally). Quantification of the effective microvascular permeability (P), functional capillary density (FCD), and leukocyte-endothelial cell interaction (LEI) was performed using digital and analog intravital epifluorescence microscopy. Serum-amylase, lipase, interleukin 6, and vascular endothelial growth factor concentration were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Results: Sham compared with I/R (P: [×10 cm/s] 0.068 ± 0.079 vs 1.516 ± 0.314; FCD: [cm/cm] 357 ± 14 vs 258 ± 13; LEI: [cells/mm] 148 ± 25 vs 349 ± 75) demonstrates a significant increase in microcirculatory damage and all previously mentioned serum parameters. Except amylase, I/R + everolimus led to a statistically significant improvement of almost all increased parameters (P: 0.434 ± 0.296, FCD: 347 ± 16, LEI: 178 ± 30).
Conclusions: Everolimus attenuated experimental microvascular and inflammatory IRI of the pancreas. Therefore, these results may warrant further investigation of everolimus as a therapeutic agent following clinical states with pancreatic ischemia/reperfusion.