[Hepatic lesion in experimental acute pancreatitis. Influence of pancreatic enzyme storage reduction].

Acute Pancreatitis (AP) is known to produce morphologic and functional changes in liver. Administration of low doses of caerulein significant decreases the content of pancreatic enzymes, leading to reduced mortality of animals submitted to AP. The present study was designed to assess the effect of acute reduction of pancreatic enzymatic content in the hepatic mitochondrial function. Wistar male rats, submitted to AP by injection of Na thaurocholate into the pancreatic duct, with and without previous i.v. injection of 0.133 microgram Kg-1h-1 of caerulein for three hours, were divided in four groups: Group I: No caerulein infusion and AP; Group II: Previous caerulein infusion and with AP; Group III: Caerulein infusion without AP; Group IV (control): No caerulein infusion and without AP. After 2 hours of induction of AP the livers were removed and prepared to the mitochondrial oxidative and phosphorylative activities, measured polarographically with determination of oxygen consumption without ADP (Basal respiration-State 4) and in the presence of ADP (Activated respiration-State 3). Ascitic fluid contents of amylase, trypsin and total protein were routinely determined. After 2 hours of AP there was a significant increase in state 4 respiration (41%) and a decrease in respiratory control ratio and in ADP/O ratio (p < 0.05) in animals of Group I (AP without caerulein) when compared to Group II (AP with caerulein) (Table 1). Ascitic fluids contents of amylase (A) and trypsin (T) showed decrease in animals of Group II with AP that received previous caerulein infusion (A = 80 +/- 10 U/ml, T = 9.75 +/- 1.25 U/ml), when compared to animals of Group I that did not receive caerulein (A = 231 +/- 24, T = 40.32 +/- 5.19) (p < 0.001). Caerulein infusion by itself (Group III) did not have any influence on mitochondrial liver dysfunction. Reduction of pancreatic enzyme content through caerulein infusion attenuates the damage of mitochondrial respiration, demonstrated by uncoupling phase on mitochondrial function in experimental AP. Further studies are needed to elucidate this phenomena, but it is probably related to the decreased of the pathogenic effects of pancreatic activated enzymes that reach the systemic circulation in reduced amounts.