Dexamethasone mediates protection against acute pancreatitis via upregulation of pancreatitis-associated proteins

Figure 1 PAP expression was upregulated by treatment of dexame-thasone and IL-6. AR42J cells were treated with indicated dose of dexamethasone (Dex) and IL-6. PAPI and II mRNA levels were determined by real-time quantitative RT-PCR analysis, using PAPI, or II-specific TaqMan primers and probe. Amount of mRNA in each group was normalized to β-actin. Results are presented as fold change in PAP I or II mRNA in treated cells relative to the levels observed in untreated/control cells and similar results were obtained with PAPIII (data not shown). Bars represent mean ± SD from 3 independent experiments (^aP < 0.05 vs untreated/control cells, ANOVA, Tukey). Insert shows representative amplification plots.

Figure 2 PAP expression was upregulated by treatment of dexamethasone and IL-6: In vitro, dexamethasone (Dex) and IL-6 induced a marked transcription of PAP I, II and III genes in AR42J cells at 24 h when compared with untreated (control) cells. Data represent fold change of untreated/unstimulated cells as determined by real-time PCR analysis (see materials and methods). Bars represent mean ± SD from 3 independent experiments (^aP < 0.05 vs controls, ANOVA, Tukey).

Figure 3 PAP expression is upregulated by dexamethasone: Rats (8/group) were treated with daily saline (white bars) or dexamethasone (grey bars) prior to pancreatitis induction. Pancreata were harvested 24 h after pancreatitis induction and PAP levels were determined by real time PCR and presented as fold change (normalized to β-actin) as described in materials and methods, and described in text as a ratio of PAP mRNA from NaT treated/saline treated pancreas mRNA (^aP < 0.05 vs saline treated controls, Student’s t-test).

Figure 4 Dexamethasone treatment decreased pancreatitis severity in vivo. Rats were treated with saline (S) or dexamethasone (D) for 4 d prior to pancreatitis induction with sodium taurocholate (NaT). Pancreata were harvested 24 h after pancreatitis induction and severity of pancreatitis was based on serum amylase (U/L), pancreatic wet weight (mg/g BW), and histopathological score. The bars represent the mean ± SD (n = 8, ^aP < 0.05 vs the saline-treated control group).