Change of intestinal barrier function in acute necrotizing pancreatitis (ANP) rats and pentoxifylline's protective effects

Objective To investigate the change of intestinal barrier function and the protection of pentoxifylline (PTX) to intestinal barrier. Methods Fifty-four SD male rats were randomly divided into 3groups, including sham operation group, ANP group, PTX group. ANP rat model were induced by retrograde injection of 5% sodium taurocholate into pancreatic and bile duct. Rats in sham operation group underwent operation without injection of taurocholate. After ANP induction, the rats in PTX group received PTX at a dose of 25 mg/kg weight via penis vein. The rats were sacrificed 3, 6, 24 h after operation, the serum levels of amylase, D-lactic acid, TNF-α were determined. The pancreas tissue and terminal ileum were harvested for pathological examination; ZO-1 levels of ileum epithelial tight junction were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Results Six hours after induction, the serum levels of amylase, TNF-α, D-lactic acid in ANP group were(9141±672)U/L, (347.96±79.47) pg/ml and (10.21±1.08 ) rmg/L, which were significantly higher than those in sham operation group [(1723 ± 57 )U/L, (134.09 ± 31.36 )pg/ml and (4.33 ±0.49)mg/L, P ＜0.01]. The serum levels of amylase, TNF-α, D-lactic acid in PTX group were (7965 ± 318 ) U/L, (238.48 ± 44.35 ) pg/ml and ( 8.75 ± 1.28 ) mg/L, which were significantly lower than those in ANP group, but they were significantly higher than those in sham group ( P＜0.05 or ＜0.01). The positive rate of ZO-1 was (3.29±0.36)% in sham operation group, and it was (1.91 ± 0. 32)% in ANP group,which was significantly lower than that in sham operation group (P ＜ 0.05 ); and the value was (2.53±0.43)%in PTX group, which was lower than that in sham group, but it was higher than that in ANP group(P＜0.05).Conclusions PTX may attenuate intestinal barrier function injury by decreasing the breakdown of intestinal ZO-1. Key words: Pancreatitis,acute necrotizing;  Connexins;  Pentoxifylline;  Enteval barrier