title: Suppression of acute pancreatitis by L-lysine in mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acute pancreatitis is an inflammatory disease caused by several factors such as viral infection, drugs, and diagnostic endoscopy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential protective or therapeutic effects of L-lysine on pancreatitis induced by L-arginine in mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four groups of mice (10 in each group) were assessed. Group I was the control. Animals in groups II-IV were injected intraperitoneally with L-arginine hydrochloride (400 mg/kg body weight [bw]) for 3 days. Group III animals were orally pre-treated with L-lysine (10 mg/kg bw), whereas group IV animals were orally post-treated with L-lysine (10 mg/kg bw). Serum samples were subjected to amylase, lipase, transaminase, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) assays. The pancreas was excised to measure the levels of malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, catalase, superoxide dismutase, reduced glutathione, and glutathione peroxidase.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pre- or post-treatment with L-lysine led to significant decreases in the levels of malondialdehyde and nitric oxide, while significant enhancement was observed in the activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase) and glutathione (p < 0.001). However, the treatment potential of L-lysine was better as a protective agent than a therapeutic agent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  L-lysine treatment attenuates pancreatic tissue injury induced by L-arginine by inhibiting the release of the inflammatory cytokine IL-6 and enhance antioxidant activity. These effects may involve upregulation of anti-inflammatory factors and subsequent downregulation of IL6.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80203, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia. alalmalki@kau.edu.sa.
authors.forename: Abdulrahman L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Al-Malki
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008239:Lysine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051379:Mice; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D010179:Pancreas / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D008239:Lysine