Protecting effects of a large dose of dexamethasone on spleen injury of rats with severe acute pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: To explore the protecting effects and mechanisms of dexamethasone on spleen injury in rats with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP).

METHODS

The rats were randomly divided into a model control group, treated group and sham-operated group. The contents of plasma endotoxin, serum NO, phospholipase A(2) enzyme (PLA(2)) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) were determined. The mortality rate, pathological changes and changes of Bax and Bcl-2 protein expression levels and apoptotic indexes in the spleen of rats were observed in all groups, respectively, at 3, 6 and 12 h after operation.

RESULTS

Although the survival rate was significantly higher in the treated group than in the model control group, there was no significantly different between them (P > 0.05). The expression levels of Bax and Bcl-2 proteins and apoptotic indexes were significantly higher in the treated group than in the model control group at different time points (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01) while other blood indexes contents and pathological severity scores of spleen were significantly lower in the treated group than in the model control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01 or P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Dexamethasone can protect spleen from injury during SAP mainly by reducing the content of inflammatory mediators in blood.