Altered cytokine response in rat acute pancreatitis complicated with endotoxemia.

We demonstrated that the dynamic aspects of cytokine production in rat acute pancreatitis, which was induced by cerulein and aggravated by subsequent lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection. A priming effect by induction of mild pancreatitis with cerulein enhanced the subsequent cytokine production by LPS injection. Alternatively, after induction of severe pancreatitis with cerulein and LPS, cytokine production was markedly suppressed for > or = 90 hours. Production of interleukin-2 (IL-2) by splenocytes decreased, and mortality rate after cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) increased significantly after induction of severe acute pancreatitis. These results suggest that the suppression of a cytokine response in severe acute pancreatitis may alter the defense system and, as a result, increase mortality after CLP.