The role of endogenous glucocorticoids in rat experimental models of acute pancreatitis.
OBJECTIVE
Cytokines activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and suppress inflammation by stimulating glucocorticoid secretion. The state of adrenocortical function during acute pancreatitis and its role in this disease were determined.


METHODS
Cerulein-induced pancreatitis or closed duodenal loop pancreatitis was produced in rats that had undergone adrenalectomy or sham adrenalectomy, and the serum corticosterone and interleukin 8 levels and the intensity of the pancreatitis were examined.


RESULTS
Serum corticosterone levels were significantly higher than basal levels in both models of experimental pancreatitis. In both models, adrenalectomy increased serum amylase and pancreatic edema and produced more severe inflammation. Adrenalectomy significantly increased mortality in animals with closed duodenal loop pancreatitis. Exogenous hydrocortisone administered to adrenalectomized animals suppressed the elevation of serum interleukin 8 levels and decreased both the severity of pancreatitis and mortality.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that the adrenocortical function is stimulated during acute pancreatitis and that the secretion of endogenous glucocorticoids may play an important role in mitigating the progress of this disease, probably by inhibiting cytokine production.
Abe
R
R
Third Department of Internal Medicine, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Miyagi, Japan.
Shimosegawa
T
T
Kimura
K
K
Abe
T
T
Kashimura
J
J
Koizumi
M
M
Toyota
T
T
D000208:Acute Disease; D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology; D000315:Adrenalectomy; D000681:Amylases / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D002108:Ceruletide; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004386:Duodenum / Q000601:surgery; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000502:physiology*; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000494:pharmacology; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000097:blood; D016018:Least-Squares Analysis; D008297:Male; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D005938:Glucocorticoids; D016209:Interleukin-8; D002108:Ceruletide; D000681:Amylases; D003345:Corticosterone; D006854:Hydrocortisone