Brief Article
Copyright ©2009 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Dec 7, 2009; 15(45): 5732-5739
Published online Dec 7, 2009. doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.5732
A simple taurocholate-induced model of severe acute pancreatitis in rats
Zhong-Hui Liu, Jun-Sheng Peng, Chu-Jun Li, Zu-Li Yang, Jun Xiang, Hu Song, Xiao-Bing Wu, Jun-Rong Chen, De-Chang Diao
Zhong-Hui Liu, Jun-Sheng Peng, Zu-Li Yang, Jun Xiang, Hu Song, Xiao-Bing Wu, De-Chang Diao, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 26 Yuanchun Erheng Road, Guangzhou 510655, Guangdong Province, China
Chu-Jun Li, Jun-Rong Chen, Department of Gastroenterology, the Sixth Affiliated Hospital (Gastrointestinal & Anal Hospital) of Sun Yat-sen University, 26 Yuanchun Erheng Road, Guangzhou 510655, Guangdong Province, China
Author contributions: Peng JS conceived and designed the study; Liu ZH, Li CJ, Song H, Wu XB, Chen JR and Diao DC carried out the experiment; Liu ZH drafted the manuscript; Yang ZL and Xiang J performed data analysis and revision of the manuscript.
Supported by The Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province, China, Grant No. 2007A07001680
Correspondence to: Dr. Jun-Sheng Peng, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 26 Yuanchun Erheng Road, Guangzhou 510655, Guangdong Province, China. pengjunsheng@tom.com
Telephone: +86-20-38254116 Fax: +86-20-38254221
Received: July 10, 2009
Revised: August 12, 2009
Accepted: August 19, 2009
Published online: December 7, 2009
Abstract

AIM: To investigate gut barrier damage and intestinal bacteria translocation in severe acute pancreatitis (SAP), a simple rat model of SAP was induced and studied.

METHODS: Pancreatitis was induced by uniformly distributed injection of 3.8% Na taurocholate (1 mL/kg) beneath the pancreatic capsule. Rats in the control group were injected with normal saline in the identical location.

RESULTS: Serum amylase, plasma endotoxin, intestinal permeability, and pancreatitis pathology scores were all markedly higher in the pancreatitis group than in the control group (P < 0.01). The bacterial infection rate was significantly higher in the SAP group than in the control group (P < 0.01), observed in parallel by both bacterial culture and real-time polymerase chain reaction. Acute damage of the pancreas was observed histologically in SAP rats, showing interstitial edema, leukocyte infiltration, acinar cell necrosis and hemorrhage. The microstructure of the intestinal mucosa of SAP rats appeared to be destroyed with loose, shortened microvilli and rupture of the intercellular junction, as shown by electron microscopy.

CONCLUSION: Significant gut barrier damage and intestinal bacterial translocation were definitely observed with few potential study confounders in this SAP rat model, suggesting that it may be an appropriate animal model for study of gut barrier damage and bacterial translocation in SAP.

Keywords: Acute pancreatitis, Bacterial translocation, Inflammation, Real-time polymerase chain reaction