Severe acute pancreatitis exhibits distinct cytokine signatures and trajectories in humans: a prospective observational study

Cytokine Dynamics in Acute Pancreatitis: The Quest for Biomarkers from Acute Disease to Disease Resolution

Background: Acute pancreatitis (AP) is an inflammatory disease of the pancreas with incompletely known pathogenic mechanisms. This study aimed to explore the temporal changes in serum cytokines in patients with AP and to assess the association of these changes with disease severity. Methods: Fifty patients hospitalized with AP were enrolled, and their serum cytokine levels were analyzed at four different time points. A healthy control (HC) group of 30 outpatients was included. Results: AP patients showed increased levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, IL-10, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 at admission when compared with HC. IL-6, VEGF, and EGF remained elevated 1 month after hospitalization and 6 months after discharge. Conclusions the Bedside Index of Severity in Acute Pancreatitis (BISAP) and severity classification of the revised Atlanta classification system, IL-6 and VEGF, determined 48 h after hospitalization, were the two cytokines consistently elevated in the most severe patients. Increased levels of IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-alpha at admission and MCP-1 48 h after admission are also related to the length of hospital stay. Conclusions: Our study highlights the role cytokines play in the pathogenesis of AP and can be useful in the development of future drug trials for AP.

Novel lipid mediator 7S,14R-docosahexaenoic acid: biogenesis and harnessing mesenchymal stem cells to ameliorate diabetic mellitus and retinal pericyte loss

Introduction: Stem cells can be used to treat diabetic mellitus and complications. ω3-docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) derived lipid mediators are inflammation-resolving and protective. This study found novel DHA-derived 7S,14R-dihydroxy-4Z,8E,10Z,12E,16Z,19Z-docosahexaenoic acid (7S,14R-diHDHA), a maresin-1 stereoisomer biosynthesized by leukocytes and related enzymes. Moreover, 7S,14R-diHDHA can enhance mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) functions in the amelioration of diabetic mellitus and retinal pericyte loss in diabetic db/db mice. Methods: MSCs treated with 7S,14R-diHDHA were delivered into db/db mice i.v. every 5 days for 35 days. Results: Blood glucose levels in diabetic mice were lowered by 7S,14R-diHDHA-treated MSCs compared to control and untreated MSC groups, accompanied by improved glucose tolerance and higher blood insulin levels. 7S,14R-diHDHA-treated MSCs increased insulin+ β-cell ratio and decreased glucogan+ α-cell ratio in islets, as well as reduced macrophages in pancreas. 7S,14R-diHDHA induced MSC functions in promoting MIN6 β-cell viability and insulin secretion. 7S,14R-diHDHA induced MSC paracrine functions by increasing the generation of hepatocyte growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor. Furthermore, 7S,14R-diHDHA enhanced MSC functions to ameliorate diabetes-caused pericyte loss in diabetic retinopathy by increasing their density in retina in db/db mice. Discussion: Our findings provide a novel strategy for improving therapy for diabetes and diabetic retinopathy using 7S,14R-diHDHA-primed MSCs.

Acute pancreatitis: pathogenesis and emerging therapies

Acute pancreatitis is a severe inflammatory disorder with limited treatment options. Improved understanding of disease mechanisms has led to new and potential therapies. Here we summarize what we view as some of the most promising new therapies for treating acute pancreatitis, emphasizing the rationale of specific treatments based on disease mechanisms. Targeted pharmacologic interventions are highlighted. We explore potential treatment benefits and risks concerning reducing acute injury, minimizing complications, and improving long-term outcomes. Mechanisms associated with acute pancreatitis initiation, perpetuation, and reconstitution are highlighted, along with potential therapeutic targets and how these relate to new treatments.

Sarcopenia and Sarcopenic Obesity on Body Composition Analysis is a Significant Predictor of Mortality in Severe Acute Pancreatitis: A Longitudinal Observational Study

BACKGROUND

The prevalence and impact of sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity noted on body composition analysis in severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) is unknown. This study investigates the prevalence of sarcopenia at different timepoints and its effect on post-pancreatitis complications and mortality.

METHODS

A prospective database of SAP admissions with organ failure at a single institution from 2015 to 2019 were analysed. Sarcopenia was determined by IMAGE J software on CT. Database was further queried for post-pancreatitis complications and mortality.

RESULTS

141 patients with a median age of 59 (range 18-88) and M:F ratio 1.52:1 of were analysed. Sarcopenia was present in 111/141 (79%) patients at admission, 78/79 (99%) at 3 months and 26/36 (72%) at 12 months. 67/111 patients with sarcopenia on admission had sarcopenic obesity. The mortality at 30 days, 3 months and 12 months was 16/141 (11%), 30/141 (21%) and 42/141 (30%) respectively. Mortality was significantly higher in sarcopenic patients at admission (35.14%) compared to the non-sarcopenic group (10%), P = 0.008). Mortality in the sarcopenic obesity group was significantly higher (45%) compared to the sarcopenic non-obese group (20%), P = 0.009) at admission. Multivariate logistic regression identified sarcopenic obesity (OR: 2.880), age (OR: 1.048) and number of organ failures (OR: 3.225) as significant predictors of mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Sarcopenia and Sarcopenic obesity are highly prevalent in SAP patients on admission and during follow up. Furthermore, sarcopenic obesity was shown to be a significant predictor of mortality at admission, suggesting that body composition analysis could be a potential predictive marker of mortality in SAP patients.

Galantamine ameliorates experimental pancreatitis

BACKGROUND

Acute pancreatitis is a common and serious inflammatory condition currently lacking disease modifying therapy. The cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (CAP) is a potent protective anti-inflammatory response activated by vagus nerve-dependent α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) signaling using splenic CD4+ T cells as an intermediate. Activating the CAP ameliorates experimental acute pancreatitis. Galantamine is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor (AChEI) which amplifies the CAP via modulation of central muscarinic ACh receptors (mAChRs). However, as mAChRs also activate pancreatitis, it is currently unknown whether galantamine would be beneficial in acute pancreatitis.

METHODS

The effect of galantamine (1-6 mg/kg-body weight) on caerulein-induced acute pancreatitis was evaluated in mice. Two hours following 6 hourly doses of caerulein (50 µg/kg-body weight), organ and serum analyses were performed with accompanying pancreatic histology. Experiments utilizing vagotomy, gene knock out (KO) technology and the use of nAChR antagonists were also performed.

RESULTS

Galantamine attenuated pancreatic histologic injury which was mirrored by a reduction in serum amylase and pancreatic inflammatory cytokines and an increase the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 in the serum. These beneficial effects were not altered by bilateral subdiaphragmatic vagotomy, KO of either choline acetyltransferase+ T cells or α7nAChR, or administration of the nAChR ganglionic blocker mecamylamine or the more selective α7nAChR antagonist methyllycaconitine.

CONCLUSION

Galantamine improves acute pancreatitis via a mechanism which does not involve previously established physiological and molecular components of the CAP. As galantamine is an approved drug in widespread clinical use with an excellent safety record, our findings are of interest for further evaluating the potential benefits of this drug in patients with acute pancreatitis.

Dynamic Changes in Serum Cytokine Profile in Rats with Severe Acute Pancreatitis

Background and Objectives: Most published research has only investigated a single timepoint after the onset of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP), meaning that they have been unable to observe the relationship between the dynamic changes in cytokines and SAP progression. In this study, we attempted to reveal the relationship between dynamic changes in cytokine expression levels and SAP disease progression and the relationship between cytokines, using continuous large-scale cytokine detection. Materials and Methods: Seventy rats were randomly assigned to control (Con), sham operation (SO) and SAP groups. The SAP group was randomly allocated to five subgroups at 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 h after the operation. In the SAP group, 5% sodium taurocholate was injected retrograde into the pancreatic bile duct. Animals in the SO group received a similar incision, a turning over of the pancreas. Control animals did not receive any treatment. We observed the survival, ascites fluid amount, pancreatic histopathological scores and serum amylase activity of SAP rats. We used the cytokine microarray to simultaneously detect 90 cytokines and the dynamic changes in one experiment and to analyze the correlation between cytokine expression and disease progression. Results: The mortality of SAP rats increased with an increase in time. Serum amylase activity, pancreatic histopathological scores and ascites fluid amount were time-dependent. Compared with normal rats, 69 cytokines in SAP rats were significantly changed for at least one timepoint, and 49 cytokines were significantly changed at different timepoints after SAP induction. The changes in inflammatory cytokines were significantly upregulated at 6 and 9 h and 12 h and then significantly decreased. Conclusions: The trend of cytokine expression in SAP rats was not consistent with the disease progression. The cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction and MAPK signal's dominant cytokines were always highly expressed at various time points over the course of SAP.