Differential JNK, p38 and ERK response to renal injury in a rat model of acute pancreatitis in pregnancy.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the mechanism of acute renal injury (ARI) in acute necrotizing pancreatitis in late pregnancy (ANPIP). METHODS: Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats in the third trimester were used for this study, and an ANPIP model was induced by injecting 5% sodium taurocholate into the biliary pancreatic duct. The rats were randomly divided into three groups the normal, sham-operated (SO) and acute necrotizing pancreatitis (ANP) groups. Rats were killed at 3, 6, 12 h after the operation, and blood, pancreatic and renal tissue samples were harvested. Differences were detected in the physiology, pathology and cellular and molecular responses among the different groups. RESULT: Serum amylase, lipase, urea and Cr levels were increased in rats with ANPIP. Additionally, expression of phosphorylation p38 and JNK as well as TNF-α and NF-κB were increased in the renal tissues of rats with ANPIP. The expression of phosphorylation ERK was decreased in the renal tissues of rats with ANPIP. CONCLUSIONS: Mitogen-activated protein kinases may play an important role in renal injury in rat models of ANPIP.