Protecting effects of a large dose of dexamethasone on spleen injury of rats with severe acute pancreatitis.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the protecting effects and mechanisms of dexamethasone on spleen injury in rats with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP).


METHODS
The rats were randomly divided into a model control group, treated group and sham-operated group. The contents of plasma endotoxin, serum NO, phospholipase A(2) enzyme (PLA(2)) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) were determined. The mortality rate, pathological changes and changes of Bax and Bcl-2 protein expression levels and apoptotic indexes in the spleen of rats were observed in all groups, respectively, at 3, 6 and 12 h after operation.


RESULTS
Although the survival rate was significantly higher in the treated group than in the model control group, there was no significantly different between them (P > 0.05). The expression levels of Bax and Bcl-2 proteins and apoptotic indexes were significantly higher in the treated group than in the model control group at different time points (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01) while other blood indexes contents and pathological severity scores of spleen were significantly lower in the treated group than in the model control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01 or P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Dexamethasone can protect spleen from injury during SAP mainly by reducing the content of inflammatory mediators in blood.
Xiping
Zhang
Z
Department of General Surgery, Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang Province, China. zxp99688@vip.163.com
Ruiping
Zhang
Z
Binyan
Yu
Y
Li
Zhou
Z
Hanqing
Chen
C
Wei
Zhu
Z
Rongchao
Ying
Y
Jing
Ye
Y
Wenqin
Yuan
Y
Jinjin
Bai
B
D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000097:blood; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000097:blood; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D054467:Phospholipases A2 / Q000097:blood; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013158:Splenic Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013656:Taurocholic Acid; D013997:Time Factors; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; C494828:Bax protein, rat; D019332:Endothelin-1; D004731:Endotoxins; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D013656:Taurocholic Acid; D003907:Dexamethasone; D054467:Phospholipases A2