[Effect of hemin on severe acute pancreatitis-associated lung injury in rats and its mechanism].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of hemin on lung injury following severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) in rats and to explore its rudimentary mechanism.


METHODS
Thirty-six rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: a control group, a SAP model group, and a hemin-pretreated group. Rats were sacrificed 12 hours after inducing SAP model. The pathological changes of the pancreas and lungs were observed under light microscope. Expression of heme oxygenase (HO-1) mRNA was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), NF-kappaB activity in the lung tissues was detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the serum levels of TNF-alpha and IL-6 were measured by ELISA.


RESULTS
HO-1 was induced during experimental SAP, NF-kappaB activity in the lung tissues was elevated after the induction of SAP and the serum levels of TNF-alpha and IL-6 were significantly elevated. Hemin further upregulated the expression of HO-1 mRNA, decreased NF-kappaB activity drastically, and inhibited the serum levels of TNF-alpha and IL-6 significantly (P < 0.05). Hemin could treat SAP by alleviating the pancreatic and lung injury.


CONCLUSIONS
Hemin moderates the inflammatory reaction and decreases the lung injury following SAP, the mechanism of which may be closely related to the upregulation of expression of HO-1 mRNA, the inhibitory effect on NF-kappaB, and adjustment of cytokines.
Liu
Zhiyong
Z
Department of Anesthesiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China.
Ai
Yuhang
Y
Zhang
Lina
L
D055371:Acute Lung Injury / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006419:Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing) / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006427:Hemin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019283:Pancreatitis, Acute Necrotizing / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D016207:Cytokines; D016328:NF-kappa B; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D006427:Hemin; D006419:Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing); C491523:Hmox1 protein, rat