An Experimental Study on Relationship between Cytokines and the Translocation of Intestinal Bacteria and Endotoxin in Severe Acute Pancreatitis Rats

Objective To investigate the relationship between the plasma cytokines and the translocation of intestinal bacteria and endotoxin after gut barrier injury in severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) rats. Methods SD rats were divided randomly into sham operation group(n=36) and SAP group (n=36). The rat model of SAP was set up by retrograde injection of 4% sodium taurocholate in biliopancreatic duct. Morphological changes of pancreas and ileum were observed. The plasma levels of TNF-a,IL-6 and IL-10 were determined by ELISA. The plasma levels of DAO activities and LPS were measured at various time points. The rates of bacterial translocation to abdominal organs were also calculated. Results The plasma levels of TNF-a and IL-6 obviously elevated immediately after SAP induction and reached peak value at 48 hours, and the plasma IL-10 level significantly increased only 6 hours after SAP induction. Plasma DAO activities increased at the early stage of SAP and obviously decreased at 24 hours. Plasma LPS levels also increased significantly at the early stage of SAP and reached peak value at 48 hours. The rates of bacterial translocation to organs sharply increased 24 hours after SAP induction and reached 58.3% at 72 hours. Conclusion The levels of cytokines increased and gut barrier function was injured in the early stage of SAP. Cytokines may impair the intestinal microcirculation and gut barrier function, which could promote the intestinal bacteria and endotoxin translocation. Simultaneously, intestinal bacteria-endotoxin translocation could also induce excessive release of cytokines and aggravate the gut barrier damage, which might cause systemic inflammatory response syndrome and multiple organ disfunction syndrome. There was a close relationship beween cytokines and the translocation of intestinal bacteria and endotoxin in SAP.