[Treatment of acute necrotizing pancreatitis]

Anti-inflammatory and anti-necrotic effects of lectins from Canavalia ensiformis and Canavalia brasiliensis in experimental acute pancreatitis

Lectins isolated from Canavalia ensiformis (ConA) and Canavalia brasiliensis (ConBr) are promising molecules to prevent cell death. Acute pancreatitis, characterized by acinar cell necrosis and inflammation, presents significant morbidity and mortality. This study has investigated the effects of ConA and ConBr in experimental acute pancreatitis and pancreatic acinar cell death induced by bile acid. Pancreatitis was induced by retrograde pancreatic ductal injection of 3% sodium taurocholate (Na-TC) in male Swiss mice. ConA or ConBr (0.1, 1 or 10 mg/kg) were intravenously applied to mice 1 h and 12 h after induction. After 24 h, the severity of pancreatitis was evaluated by serum amylase and lipase, histopathological changes and myeloperoxidase assay. Pancreatic acinar cells were incubated with ConA (200 µg/ml) or ConBr (200 µg/ml) and taurolithocholic acid 3-sulfate (TLCS; 500 µM). Necrosis and changes in mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔѰm) were detected by fluorescence confocal microscopy. Treatment (post-insult) with ConA and ConBr decreased pancreatic damage caused by retrograde injection of Na-TC in mice, reducing pancreatic neutrophil infiltration, edema and necrosis. In addition, ConA and ConBr decreased pancreatic acinar cell necrosis and depolarization of ΔѰm caused by TLCS. The inhibition of necrosis was prevented by the lectin domain blockade. In conclusion, ConA and ConBr markedly inhibited in vitro and in vivo damage, effects partly dependent on the interaction with mannose residues on acinar cells. These data support the potential application of these proteins for treatment of acute pancreatitis.

Effectiveness of digestive endoscopy and surgery in the treatment of necrotizing pancreatitis: a meta-analysis and systematic review

Background

Digestive endoscopy and surgery are the primary invasive methods for the clinical treatment of necrotizing pancreatitis. However, there are relatively few studies evaluating the effectiveness and safety of these two methods.

Methods

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on endoscopic and surgical treatment of necrotizing pancreatitis published from January 2000 to December 2020 were searched in the PubMed, Medline, Embase, China Biology Medicine Disc (CBM), and WanFang databases. The Cochrane System Review Manual was adopted to evaluate the quality of the included literature, and Review Manager 5.3 was used for data analysis.

Results

Ten articles were included in this meta-analysis, involving a total of 401 patients, including 188 in the endoscopy group and 213 in the surgery group. Meta-analysis results revealed that the clinical remission rate (CRR) [odds ratio (OR) =1.30, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.58-2.92, P=0.52], new organ failure rate (OFR) (OR =0.53, 95% CI: 0.26-1.09, P=0.08), abdominal bleeding rate (ABR) (OR =0.62, 95% CI: 0.33-1.15, P=0.13), and intensive care unit (ICU) stay time (IST) [mean deviation (MD) =-7.33, 95% CI: -16.76 to 2.11, P=0.13] were not significantly different between the endoscopy and surgery groups. In the endoscopy group, the mortality rate (OR =0.56, 95% CI: 0.31-1.02, P=0.05), intestinal fistula rate (IFR) or gastrointestinal perforation rate (GPR) (OR =0.50, 95% CI: 0.26-0.99, P=0.05), and pancreatic fistula rate (PFR) (OR =0.09, 95% CI: 0.04-0.23, P<0.00001) were markedly lower compared to the surgery group.

Discussion

There was no obvious difference in the clinical efficacy of endoscopic and surgical treatment of necrotizing pancreatitis. However, endoscopy can greatly reduce the incidence of postoperative death and major complications in patients.