The effects of ethyl pyruvate on high mobility group box-1 protein expression in murine severe acute pancreatitis

Objective To explore the effects of ethyl pyruvate (EP) on high mobility group box-1 protein (HMGB1) expression in severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) rats.Methods Ninety male wistar rats were divided randomly into three groups: Group A (SAP group); group B (SAP rats received ethyl pyruvate therapy); group C (control group). Specimens from rats in the three groups were taken at 3, 6, 12, 24 and 48 h after operation respectively. The concentration of plasma amylase and D-lactate the activity of malonyl dialdehyde (MAD) in the intestinal tissue were determined. The changes of morphological damage of intestinal tissue was observed by microscopy. The expression of HMGB1 in intestinal mucosa was observed by SP immunohistochemistry and the activity of HMGB1 was determined by western blot.Results Compared with group A, Ievels of plasma amylase, and D-lactate in group B decreased markedly (P0.05). Compared with group C, MDA in group A increased significantly (P0.01). Compared with group A, the pathological lesion of intestinal mucosa was improved and the expression of HMGB1 was obviously down regulated in group B (P0.05). The expression of HMGB1 in bowel tissues in group A was increased significantly at 6h and maintained to 24h after SAP model was induced; whereas in group C, HMGB1 expression was significantly lower than that in group A at each time point (P0.05).Conclusions HMGB1 can mediate an increase in penetrability of intestinal mucosal barrier in SAP. EP can down-regulate HMGB1 expression in intestinal tissues of SAP rats, improve the function of intestinal mucosal barrier, and protect intestine from injury induced by SAP.