Octreotide ameliorates intestinal dysmotility by interstitial cells of Cajal protection in a rat acute necrotizing pancreatitis model.

OBJECTIVES

Intestinal motility is impaired in acute necrotizing pancreatitis (ANP). The aim of present study was to investigate the effects of octreotide on the small intestinal motor function during experimentally induced ANP.

METHODS

L-Ornithine was intraperitoneally injected to induce ANP. Octreotide was administrated subcutaneously every 8 hours. The small intestine migrating myoelectrical complexes and slow waves in vivo were recorded before and after (24, 48, and 72 hours) ANP induction. The morphological alterations of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) in deep muscular plexus were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and Western blots.

RESULTS

Disturbed migrating myoelectrical complex cycle length and decreased dominant frequency of slow waves exacerbated gradually with time. The bolus applications of octreotide per 8 hours attenuated these functional abnormalities. The result of morphological study suggested that octreotide might ameliorate the damage of ICCs at 48 and 72 hours after ANP induction. Decreased expression of c-Kit protein at 72 hours was also attenuated by octreotide.

CONCLUSIONS

The pathogenesis of the ileus in ANP may be related to the sustained deficiencies in ICCs. Octreotide may ameliorate the severity of ileus by minimizing the injury of ICCs.