title: Immunological changes of mild acute pancreatitis in late-stage alcoholic chronic pancreatitis.
abstract: The exact immunological mechanisms underlying alcoholic chronic pancreatitis are unclear. To investigate the role of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor pathway the serum levels of TNF-alpha, soluble TNF receptors -p55/-p75, and CRP were determined by ELISA in 34 patients with late-stage alcoholic chronic pancreatitis and 28 controls. The disease activity (Balthazar scoring system) of acute pancreatitis on the background of late-stage chronic pancreatitis correlated with an increase of functionally active TNF receptor -p55/-p75 serum levels. Unstimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells are one source of soluble TNF receptors and demonstrated a systemic leukocyte activation. The marked enhancement of soluble TNF receptors suggests that alcoholic chronic pancreatitis may be characterized by transient peaks of in situ TNF-alpha production preceding a long-lasting release of soluble TNF receptors. The data demonstrate immunological changes characteristic of acute pancreatitis in late-stage alcoholic chronic pancreatitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine IV (Gastroenterology), University Hospital of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hanck
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rossol
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Singer
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000097:blood; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D019512:Pancreatitis, Alcoholic / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000097:blood; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D047889:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II; D012995:Solubility
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D047889:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II