Phospholipase-A1 and -A2 in experimental acute pancreatitis in rats

Using a standardized model of bile-induced acute pancreatitis, the reaction of phospholipase-A1 activity was investigated in parallel to that of phospholipase-A2, as well as their relationship to the pathomorphological spread of pancreatitis. While the measurement of the total free fatty acids (FFA) in serum as metabolites of phospholipase-A activity indicated variable reactions with the average remaining the same (0.186 +/- 0.15 to 0.192 +/- 0.153 mEq/l), phospholipase-A2 exhibited a highly significant increase from 9.6 +/- 2.2 to 18.2 +/- 5.4 nmol/ml/min (P less than 0.01). It was demonstrated that in parallel phospholipase-A1 also showed a highly significant increase from 2.5 +/- 1.2 to 6.7 +/- 3.1 nmol/ml/min (P less than 0.01). In relation to the pathomorphological score, both phospholipases showed a small increase at a low score (edema to focal necrosis), whereas in groups with a larger spread of the pancreatitis, score 5 or 6 (extended necrosis to retroperitoneal necrosis), the increase was substantially clearer. As a result of these findings, we conclude that phospholipase-A1 could possibly be used as phospholipase-A2 as an indicator of the severity of acute pancreatitis and that it should be taken into consideration in the very promising therapy with phospholipase-A-antagonists.