Diabetes increases pancreatitis induced systemic inflammation but has little effect on inflammation and cell death in the lung

In this study we explore, if diabetes also increases pancreatitis induced systemic inflammation and causes lung injury. Acute pancreatitis was induced in untreated and streptozotocin‐treated diabetic mice by injection of cerulein. Systemic inflammation was studied by IL‐6 ELISA in blood plasma and white blood cell count. Lung inflammation and lung injury were quantified by chloroacetate esterase staining, evaluation of the alveolar cellularity index and cleaved caspase‐3 immunohistochemistry. In normoglycaemic mice AP increased the IL‐6 concentration in plasma and caused lymphocytopenia. Diabetes significantly increased the IL‐6 concentration in plasma and further reduced the number of lymphocytes during AP, whereas diabetes had little effect on these parameters in the absence of pancreatitis. However, diabetes only marginally increased lung inflammation and did not lead to cell death of the lung epithelium during AP. We conclude that diabetes increases parameters of systemic inflammation during AP, but that this increase is insufficient to cause lung injury.

Source: International Journal of Experimental Pathology - October 1, 2014 Category: Pathology Authors: Dietmar Zechner, Marie Spitzner, Tassilo Müller‐Graff, Brigitte Vollmar Tags: Original Article Source Type: research