The Effect of 60-kDa Heat Shock Protein on Acute Experimental Pancreatitis

Lee, Goo; Kim, Kwang Hee; Kim, Chang Duck; Lee, Hong Sik; Jeen, Yoon Tae; Chun, Hoon Jae; Song, Chi Wook; Um, Soon Ho; Lee, Sang Woo; Choi, Jai Hyun; Ryu, Ho Sang; Hyun, Jin Hai; Park, In Sun

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Recent studies showed that heat shock protein 60 (HSP60) might have a protective effect on experimental pancreatitis. However, protective mechanism of HSP60 is still unclear. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of HSP60 on cerulein-induced pancreatitis and to investigate its protective mechanism.
METHODS
Of thirty-six male Sprague-Dawley rats, twenty- four were divided randomly into 4 groups: control group (CON), cerulein group (CER), water immersion group (WI), and water immersion and cerulein group (WIC). In order to assess the expression of HSP60, the 12 remaining rats (WIH) were killed 3, 6, 9, and 12 hours after the initiation of water immersion. Then, the concentrations of serum amylase and tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-alpha) were measured. To evaluate edema, expression of HSP60, the changes in TNF-alpha concentration, pancreatic tissues were analyzed and graded histologically.
RESULTS
Expression of HSP60 increased significantly in the group WI and attained the peak level at 6 hours after water immersion. Serum amylase concentration, and ultrastructural pathologic changes were decreased significantly in the group WIC compared to those in the group CER. TNF-alpha concentrations of serum and pancreatic tissue in the group WIC were significantly lower than those observed in the group CER.
CONCLUSIONS
HSP60 attenuated the severity of cerulein-induced pancreatitis, probably by reducing the response of proinflammatory cytokine.