Prostaglandin E1 protects dog pancreas from ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Effects of prostaglandin (PG) E1 on ischemia-reperfusion (I-R) injury to the pancreas was evaluated using isolated in vivo perfused dog pancreas. Pancreatic endocrine and exocrine functions were stimulated with 10(-12) M cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8). This amount of CCK-8 promoted production of insulin, glucagon, PGI2, and thromboxane (Tx) A2 in the pancreas. Sixty minutes of ischemia and subsequent reperfusion induced damage to pancreatic ductular, acinar, and beta cells. Intra-arterial administration of PGE1 at a dose of 0.5 microgram/kg/min throughout the experiment prevented the I-R injury, reducing plasma lipid peroxides, and elevating PGI2 without changing TxA2 in the pancreas. PGE1 thus appears to protect pancreatic function from I-R injury both by depressing the effect of free-radicals and by decreasing TxA2/PGI2 which predicts cell injury.