Hippocampal neuronal apoptosis and nuclear factor κB expression in rats with acute necrotizing pancreatitis with brain injury

Objective To investigate the relationship between expression of nuclear factor kappa B p65 ( NF-κB p65) and hippocampal neuronal apoptosis in acute necrotizing pancreatitis (ANP) rats with brain injury. Methods Sixty-four SD rats were randomized into normal saline group (NS) and ANP group. The ANP rat model was induced by retrograde injection of 4% sodium taurocholate into the pancreaticobiliary duct of SD rats. Nissle stain was used to detect the brain injury. Neuronal apoptosis was determined by TUNEL.NF-κB p65 expression was detected by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. Results Hippocampal neuron was absent, karyopyknosis, unclear nucleolus and decreased Nissl bodies were found, the injuries was aggravated with time. The apoptosis index at the 3, 6 and 12 h in ANP group was 10.63 ±0.24, 21.02±0.25, 17.12±0.36, respectively, while they were 0.33±0.19,0.71±0.67, 0.45 ± 0. 33 in NS group, and the difference was statistically significant ( P ＜ 0. 01 ). The expressions of NF-κB p65 mRNA were 0. 63 ± 0.05,1.05 ±0.06,0.92 ±0.05, which were significantly higher than those in the NS group (0.11 ±0.01,0.12±0.01,0.08±0.01,P＜0.05).The chatge of expression of NF±κB p65 protein was consistent with that of NF-κB p65 mRNA. Conclusions The brain injury of ANP rats was highly correlated with neuronal apoptosis at the early and middle phase of ANP, and its mechanism may be related with NF-κB p65 activation. Key words: Pancreatitis,acute necrotizing;  Brain injury;  Neurons;  Apoptosis;  Nuclear factor-κB