Roles of chemokines in pancreatitis: A review

Pancreatitis is one of the largest contributors to increased healthcare costs. It is widely accepted that exposure of acinar cells to injurious agents leads to necrosis and pancreatic enzyme activation. Inappropriate activation of trypsinogen in the pancreas is related to infiltration of leukocytes recruited by chemokines, which directly leads to acinar cell damage, and indirectly to a strong systemic inflammatory response. Otherwise, chemokines exert pleiotropic effects by recruiting immune cells during inflammation, immune surveillance, and directing cells to target organs in homeostasis. Here, we give a brief introduction to the basic molecular and cellular sources of chemokines, and focus on their pleiotropic functions in acute pancreatitis, chronic pancreatitis, autoimmune pancreatitis, and pancreatic cancer. Understanding the interaction between these processes is helpful for devising therapeutic strategies for pancreatitis.