title: Detection of superoxide free radicals in rats with acute pancreatitis.
abstract: To study the importance of oxygen-derived free radicals in acute pancreatitis, an experimental study of in vivo detection of superoxide free radicals (O2-) was performed using rats. Using a new chemiluminescence probe (2-methyl-6-[p-methoxyphenyl]-3,7-dihydro-imidazol[1,2-1]pyrazin- 3-one; MCLA; a Cypridina luciferin analogue) and a highly sensitive photon counting system, O2- from the pancreatic surface of rats with experimental acute pancreatitis induced by 180 micrograms cerulein/kg was detected. The time course of MCLA-dependent luminescence suggested that O2- production began 2-3 h after cerulein injection and then decreased gradually. Superoxide free radical production in the pancreas of rats with cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis was confirmed using MCLA-dependent chemiluminescence. This new method allows direct observation of the behavior of oxygen-derived free radicals.
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D002108:Ceruletide; D005609:Free Radicals; D007093:Imidazoles; D007700:Kinetics; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D008297:Male; D010179:Pancreas / Q000737:chemistry; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism*; D011719:Pyrazines; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D013481:Superoxides / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D005609:Free Radicals; D007093:Imidazoles; D011719:Pyrazines; D013481:Superoxides; C063412:2-methyl-6-(4-methoxyphenyl)-3,7-dihydroimidazo(1,2-alpha)pyrazin-3-one; D002108:Ceruletide; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase