Oxidative stress and inflammation in the pathogenesis of activated polyamine catabolism-induced acute pancreatitis

Summary. The markers of oxidative stress and inflammation were studied in acute pancreatitis in transgenic rats exhibiting activated polyamine catabolism. In addition, the effect of bismethylspermine (Me₂Spm) pretreatment, preventing pancreatitis in this model, on these mediators was investigated. Lipid peroxidation was increased at 6 and 24 h after induction of pancreatitis. These changes as well as the markedly decreased superoxide dismutase activity at 24 h were abolished by Me₂Spm pretreatment. Glutathione level and catalase activity changed transiently, and the effect of Me₂Spm was clear at 24 h. Serum inflammatory cytokine levels increased already at 4 h whereas NF-κB was distinctly activated only at 24 h. Me₂Spm prevented the increase in TNF-α and IL-6 while it had no effect on NF-κB activation. These results show that typical inflammatory and, to a lesser degree, some oxidative stress mediators are involved and beneficially affected by the disease-ameliorating polyamine analogue in our pancreatitis model.