title: The tripeptide analog feG ameliorates severity of acute pancreatitis in a caerulein mouse model.
abstract: Acute pancreatitis (AP) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality; however, there is no specific treatment for this disease. A novel salivary tripeptide analog, feG, reduces inflammation in several different animal models of inflammation. The aims of this study were to determine whether feG reduced the severity of AP and modifies the expression of pancreatic ICAM-1 mRNA during AP in a mouse model. AP was induced in mice by hourly (x12) intraperitoneal injections of caerulein. A single dose of feG (100 microg/kg) was coadministered with caerulein either at time 0 h (prophylactic) or 3 h after AP induction (therapeutic). Plasma amylase and pancreatic MPO activities and pancreatic ICAM-1 mRNA expression (by RT-PCR) were measured. Pancreatic sections were histologically assessed for abnormal acinar cells and interstitial space. AP induction produced a sevenfold increase in plasma amylase, a tenfold increase in pancreatic MPO activity, and a threefold increase in interstitial space, and 90% of the acinar cells were abnormal. Prophylactic treatment with feG reduced the AP-induced plasma amylase activity by 45%, pancreatic MPO by 80%, the proportion of abnormal acinar cells by 30%, and interstitial space by 40%. Therapeutic treatment with feG significantly reduced the AP-induced abnormal acinar cells by 10% and the interstitial space by 20%. Pancreatic ICAM-1 mRNA expression was upregulated in AP and was reduced by 50% with prophylactic and therapeutic treatment with feG. We conclude that feG ameliorates experimental AP acting at least in part by modulating ICAM-1 expression in the pancreas.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Surgery, Centre for Neuroscience, Flinders University, Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Yusnita
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Rifai
authors.forename: Alison S F
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Elder
authors.forename: Colin J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Carati
authors.forename: Damian J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Hussey
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Charmaine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Woods
authors.forename: Ann C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Schloithe
authors.forename: Anthony C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Ronald D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Mathison
authors.forename: Joseph S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Davison
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Toouli
authors.forename: Gino T P
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Saccone
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000681:Amylases / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002108:Ceruletide; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010179:Pancreas / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; C090509:Icam1 protein, mouse; D009842:Oligopeptides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C114891:tripeptide FEG; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D002108:Ceruletide; D009195:Peroxidase; D000681:Amylases