The neuroprotective effects of 2-APB in rats with experimentally- -induced severe acute pancreatitis

The objective of this study was to determine the neuroprotective effects of 2-aminoethyl diphenyl-borinate (2-APB) on the brains of rats with experimentally-induced severe acute pancreatitis.

Thirty Spraque-Dawley male rats with an average weight of 200-250 grams were randomly divided into three groups. Group 1: Sham group, Group 2: Severe acute pancreatitis group, Group 3: Treatment group with severe acute pancreatitis, given 2 mg/kg 2-APB before pancreatitis onset. In Groups 2 and 3, severe acute pancreatitis was induced by intraperitoneal administration of 1.5 g/kg L-arginine with a 1-hour interval. Tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin 6, pancreatic amylase were all measured. Brain tissue samples were evaluated histopathologically. TUNEL staining method was used to visualize apoptotic cells.

In Group 3, it was determined that the density of TUNEL-positive cells in the cerebral cortex has decreased, while the number of Bcl-2-positive cells had increased. In Group 3, it was observed that glial aggregation areas were diminished and histopathological changes were decreased as compared to Group 2. In Group 2, on the other hand, it was observed that in areas with glial cell aggregation, the density of TUNEL-positive glial cells had increased, while Bcl-2-positive cell reaction has been feeble.

It was observed that 2-APB decreases neuronal apoptosis and glial cell aggregation (Tab. 2, Fig. 3, Ref. 21).