Published online Jan 15, 2003. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v9.i1.179
Revised: July 16, 2002
Accepted: July 22, 2002
Published online: January 15, 2003
AIM: To elucidate the role of NF-κB activation in the development of multiple organ dysfunction (MOD) during acute obstructive cholangitis (AOC) in rats.
METHODS: Forty-two Wistar rats were divided into three groups: the AOC group, the group of bile duct ligation (BDL group), and the sham operation group (SO group). All the animals in the three groups were killed in the 6th and 48th hour after operation. Morphological changes of vital organs were observed under light and electron microscopy. NF-κB activation was determined with Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay (EMSA). Arterial blood gas analyses and the serum levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine were performed. The concentrations of TNF-α and IL-6 in plasma were also measured.
RESULTS: The significant changes of histology and ultrastructure of vital organs were observed in AOC group. By contrast, in BDL group, all the features of organs damage were greatly reduced. Expression of NF-κB activation in various tissues increased in AOC group when compared to other two groups. At 6 h, the arterial pH in three groups was 7.52 ± 0.01, 7.46 ± 0.02, and 7.45 ± 0.02, and the blood pCO2 was 33.9 ± 0.95 mmHg, 38.1 ± 0.89 mmHg, 38.9 ± 0.94 mmHg, there was difference in three groups (P < 0.05). At 48 h, the blood pHvalues in three groups was 7.33 ± 0.07, 7.67 ± 0.04, and 7.46 ± 0.03, and blood HCO3- was 20.1 ± 1.29 mmol·L-1, 26.7 ± 1.45 mmol·L-1 and 27.4 ± 0.35 mmol·L-1, there was also difference in three groups (P < 0.05). In AOC group, Levels of LDH, ALT, BUN and creatinine were 16359.9 ± 2278.8 nkat·L-1, 5796.2 ± 941.9 nkat·L-1, 55.7 ± 15.3 mg/dl, and 0.72 ± 0.06 mg/dl, which were higher than in SO group (3739.1 ± 570.1 nkat·L-1, 288.4 ± 71.7 nkat·L-1, 12.5 ± 2.14 mg/dl, and 0.47 ± 0.03 mg/dl) (P < 0.05). Levels of plasma TNF-α and IL-6 in AOC at 48 h were 429 ± 56.62 ng·L-1 and 562 ± 57 ng·L-1, which increased greatly when compared to BDL group (139 ± 16 ng·L-1, 227 ± 43 ng·L-1) and SO group (74 ± 10 ng·L-1, 113 ± 19 ng·L-1) (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSION: The pathological damages and the NF-κB activation of many vital organs exised during AOC. These findings have an important implication for the role of NF-κB activation in MOD during AOC.