title: Do opioid receptors play a role in the pathogenesis of the inflammatory response in acute pancreatitis?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of the opioid blocker naltrexone in the inflammatory response in acute pancreatitis (AP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Acute pancreatitis was induced in anesthetized male Wistar rats by retrograde injection of 2.5% sodium taurocholate diluted in 0.5ml saline into the main pancreatic duct. Animals were randomized to the following experimental groups: Control Group (n=9): animals received an intraperitoneal injection of saline solution (0.5ml), 15 minutes before the induction of AP. Naltrexone Group (n=9): animals received an intraperitoneal injection of naltrexone 0.5ml (15 mg/kg), 15 minutes before induction of AP. Peritoneal levels of TNF-α and serum levels of IL-6 and amylase were determined The volume of the ascitic fluid was also evaluated. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activities were analyzed in homogenates of pulmonary tissue.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences in the ascitic fluid volume, nor in TNF-a and IL-6 levels in the naltrexone group compared to controls. Treatment with naltrexone did not affect the lung MPO activity compared to control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The opioid receptors don't play an important role in the pathogenesis of the inflammatory response in acute pancreatitis. If opioids affect leukocytes inflammatory signaling, there are no major implications in the pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Alfenas University (UNIFENAS), MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Artur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Penido
authors.forename: Ana Maria Mendonça
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Coelho
authors.forename: Nilza Trindade
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Molan
authors.forename: Fabiano Pinheiro da
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Luiz Augusto Carneiro
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: D'Albuquerque
authors.forename: Marcel Cerqueira Cesar
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Machado
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000681:Amylases / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009271:Naltrexone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000032:analysis; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000502:physiology*; D013656:Taurocholic Acid; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D011957:Receptors, Opioid; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D013656:Taurocholic Acid; D009271:Naltrexone; D009195:Peroxidase; D000681:Amylases