Significance of innate immune surveillance in emphysematous pancreatitis

Emphysematous pancreatitis (EP) is a severe and life-threatening complication of pancreatitis characterized by gas formation within pancreatic tissues, which often results from bacterial infection. This condition poses significant challenges due to its rapid progression and high mortality rate. Innate immunity plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis, progression, and potential treatment of EP as the body's first line of defense against infectious agents. Current research has elucidated various mechanisms through which innate immune components contribute to inflammatory responses and microbial clearance in EP. Despite advances in understanding pancreatic inflammation, the specific contributions of innate immunity to EP's development, progression, and clinical outcomes remain not fully elucidated. Incorporating insights into innate immune markers may enhance early detection and prognostic accuracy. Moreover, therapeutic strategies targeting innate immune modulation hold promise for improving management and reducing morbidity associated with EP. This review comprehensively summarizes the mechanisms by which innate immune responses contribute to EP pathogenesis. It also highlights emerging diagnostic biomarkers and imaging techniques that facilitate early detection and discusses novel immunomodulatory therapies targeting innate immune responses. This review is a scoping review based on a structured literature search (see Methods). We aim to provide a framework and identify future research directions to improve clinical management and outcomes for patients with EP.