Effect of parenteral infusion of fish oil-based lipid emulsion on systemic inflammatory cytokines and lung eicosanoid levels in experimental acute pancreatitis.

Parenteral fish oil lipid emulsion (FOLE) might mitigate inflammation after injury. Acute pancreatitis (AP) can occur following major surgery and is characterized by tissue and systemic release of inflammatory mediators that contributes to the systemic inflammatory response syndrome and multiple organ failure. AIM: We evaluated the effect of short-term FOLE infusion before experimental induction of AP on systemic cytokine and lung eicosanoid profiles. METHODS: Lewis rats (n = 72) received parenteral infusion of FOLE (FO group) or saline (SS group), or remained without parenteral infusion (CG group) for 48 h. Thereafter, AP was induced by retrograde injection of sodium taurocholate into the pancreatic duct. Animals were sacrificed after 2, 12 and 24 h. Blood and lung samples were collected to assess serum inflammatory cytokines (Luminex) and tissue eicosanoids (ELISA), respectively. RESULTS: Serum TNF-α increased over time and serum IL-10 decreased from 12 to 24 h in CG group. In SS group serum TNF-α increased from 12 to 24 h (p = 0.039) and serum IL-10 decreased over time. Both CG and SS groups exhibited increased IL-6/IL-10 ratio (p = 0.040). From 12 to 24 h animals from FO group showed decreased serum IL-1 (p < 0.001), IL-4 (p < 0.002) and IL-6 (p = 0.050), and a trend towards increased IL-10 (p = 0.060). All experimental groups showed a trend towards increased PGE2 and decreased LTB4 in the lung at 24 compared with 12 h CONCLUSION: Parenteral infusion of FOLE for 48 h before the induction of experimental AP appears to favorably influence the cytokine response without affecting lung eicosanoids at the time points measured. The use of FOLE to prevent and treat AP following major surgery needs to be further explored.