Protective effect of nafamostat mesilate on cellular and lysosomal fragility of acinar cells in rat cerulein pancreatitis.

This in vivo and in vitro study demonstrates the protective effects of a new synthetic protease inhibitor--nafamostat mesilate, FUT-175--on increased cellular and lysosomal fragility within acinar cells during the early stage of cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis in rats. FUT-175 prevented hyperamylasemia, pancreatic edema, congestion owing to amylase, and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) discharge from acini as well as cathepsin-B leakage from lysosomes dose-dependently in doses of 1-10 mg/kg.h. These results suggest that FUT-175 can protect against pancreatitis at subcellular levels in lysosomes and cellular or organelle membranes. Proteases may well play the important role in the pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis, and such a low molecular protease inhibitor may be useful clinically in the treatment of acute pancreatitis.