Vitamin E alters inflammatory gene expression in alcoholic chronic pancreatitis.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of vitamin E supplementation on pancreatic gene expression of inflammatory markers in rats with alcoholic chronic pancreatitis.


METHODS
Wistar rats were divided into 3 groups: control (1), alcoholic chronic pancreatitis without (2) and with (3) vitamin E supplementation. Pancreatitis was induced by a liquid diet containing ethanol, cyclosporin A and cerulein. α-tocopherol content in plasma and liver and pancreas histopathology were analyzed. Gene expression of inflammatory biomarkers was analyzed by the quantitative real-time PCR technique.


RESULTS
The animals that received vitamin E supplementation had higher α-tocopherol amounts in plasma and liver. The pancreas in Group 1 showed normal histology, whereas in Groups 2 and 3, mild to moderate tissue destruction foci and mononuclear cell infiltration were detected. Real-time PCR analysis showed an increased expression of all genes in Groups 2 and 3 compared to Group 1. Vitamin E supplementation decreased the transcript number of 5 genes (α-SMA, COX-2, IL-6, MIP-3α and TNF-α) and increased the transcript number of 1 gene (Pap).


CONCLUSIONS
Vitamin E supplementation had anti-inflammatory and beneficial effects on the pancreatic gene expression of some inflammatory biomarkers in rats with alcoholic chronic pancreatitis, confirming its participation in the inflammatory response mechanisms in the pancreas.
Division of Nutrition, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.
Thaís Helena
TH
Monteiro
Camila Siqueira
CS
Silva
Livia Maria
LM
Cordeiro Simões Ambrosio
Sergio
S
Zucoloto
Helio
H
Vannucchi
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D002908:Chronic Disease; D017931:DNA Primers; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010179:Pancreas / Q000473:pathology; D019512:Pancreatitis, Alcoholic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*
D017931:DNA Primers; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D014810:Vitamin E