Changes in cytokines and chemokines in an acute pancreatitis model

The immune response secondary to inflammation that develops in acute pancreatitis plays an important role in the clinical course of the disease. This study aims to evaluate the changes in various cytokines and chemokines according to the severity of pancreatitis.

Twenty-one female Wistar albino rats were divided into three equal groups. The control group received no intervention. Intraperitoneal cerulein was administered to the other groups once per hour for five hours at doses of 50 µg/kg and 80 µg/kg for the mild and severe pancreatitis groups, respectively. The development of pancreatitis and its severity level were confirmed by histological evaluation after euthanization. Blood samples were taken from all rats to measure levels of Interleukin-10 (IL-10), Interferon gamma (IFN-γ), C-X-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 1 (CXCL-1), Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 (MCP-1), Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF-α), Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor (GM-CSF), IL-18, IL-12p70, IL-1β, IL-17A, IL-33, IL-1α, and IL-6. Additionally, the Schoenberg inflammation scores of pancreatic tissues were evaluated.

The acute pancreatitis model was successfully induced in all cases within the study groups, according to histopathological examination. It was found that the levels of CXCL-1, MCP-1, and IL-6 were statistically significantly higher in rats with pancreatitis, with these parameters being elevated in the group with severe pancreatitis. In correlation analyses, MCP-1 and IL-6 showed a moderate correlation with the severity of pancreatitis.

CXCL-1, MCP-1, and IL-6 exhibit predictive characteristics for the occurrence and clinical course of pancreatitis. Our results highlight the production and working pathways of these cytokines as potential targets for therapeutic intervention.