Intrapulmonary expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 gene in rats with acute necrotizing pancreatitis

ObjectiveTo investigate intrapulmonary expression of ICAM-1 mRNA and the relationship between the expression of ICAM-1 and lung injury in ANP. Methods ANP was reproduced by retrograde injection of 3.5% sodium taurocholate. Animals were sacrificed at 1,4,12 and 24 hours after induction of pancreatitis. Intrapulmonary ICAM-1 mRNA expression was assayed by reverse transcription-PCR. The following parameters were also measured: Serum amylase, histologic grading of lung injury and intrapulmonary myeloperoxidase (MPO). ResultsThere was intrapulmonary overexpression of the ICAM-1 mRNA on the first hour and persisted up to 12-24 hours with the increase of serum amylase and intrapulmonary MPO after pancreatitis induction. Score of the lung injury correlated well with the expression of the ICAM-1 mRNA and intrapulmonary MPO (r=0.85, 0.85 and 0.96, all P0.05).ConclusionThe expression of ICAM-1 mRNA and pulmonary leucocyte infiltration was related with lung injury in ANP. Severity of pancreatitis and lung injury could be predicted by the expression of ICAM-1 mRNA in ANP.