Basic Research
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2003. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Oct 15, 2003; 9(10): 2274-2277
Published online Oct 15, 2003. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v9.i10.2274
Protective effects of transplanted and mobilized bone marrow stem cells on mice with severe acute pancreatitis
Hui-Fei Cui, Zeng-Liang Bai
Hui-Fei Cui, Biochemical and Biotechnological Institute of Materia Medica, Pharmaceutical College of Shandong University, Jinan 250012, Shandong Province, China
Zeng-Liang Bai, College of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, Shandong Province, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Hui-Fei Cui, Associate Professor, Biochemical and Biotechnological Institute of Materia Medica, Pharmaceutical College of Shandong University, Jinan 250012, Shandong Province, China. cuihuifei@sdu.edu.cn
Telephone: +86-531-8380288 Fax: +86-531-8380288
Received: September 1, 2003
Revised: September 8, 2003
Accepted: September 15, 2003
Published online: October 15, 2003
Abstract

AIM: To evaluate the protective effects of transplanted and mobilized bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs) on mice with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) and to probe into their possible mechanisms.

METHODS: A mouse model of SAP induced by intraperitoneal injections of L-arginine was employed in the present study. Two hundred female Balb/c mice weighing 18-22 g were randomly assigned into 4 groups. Group A was the stem cell mobilized group treated by injection of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) into mice for 4 d at a dose of 40 μg·kg-1·d-1 before induction of SAP. Group B was the group of BMSCs transplantation, in which the mice were given the isolated BMSCs via the tail vein 4 d prior to induction of SAP. Group C served as the model control and only SAP was induced. The mice without induction of SAP in group D acted as the normal control. At the time of animal sacrifice at 24, 48 and 72 h after induction of SAP, blood samples were obtained and prepared to detect serum amylase, while the abdominal viscera were examined both grossly and microscopically for the observation of pathological changes.

RESULTS: The mortality of mice in the model control, groups A and B was 34%, 8% and 10% respectively within 72 h after induction of SAP. The serum level of amylase in the model control was significantly increased at all time points after induction of SAP as compared with that of the normal control (P < 0.05-0.01). When the mice were pretreated with BMSCs’ transplantation or G-CSF injection, their serum level of amylase was significantly reduced at 48 h and 72 h after induction of SAP in comparison with that of the model control (P < 0.05-0.01). In accordance with these observations, both gross and microscopic examinations revealed that the pathological changes of SAP in mice pretreated with BMSCs transplantation or G-CSF injection were considerably attenuated as compared with those in the model control at all observed time points.

CONCLUSION: Both transplanted allogenic and mobilized autologous BMSCs can protect mouse pancreas from severe damage in the process of SAP.

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