Mechanism of acute pancreatitis exacerbation by enteral bile-pancreatic juice exclusion.

Using an original model, the donor rat model, we previously showed that bile-pancreatic juice exclusion from gut exacerbates ligation-induced acute pancreatitis. Here, we examine the mechanism by which bile-pancreatic juice exclusion from gut exacerbates acute pancreatitis. In the first part of the study we test the hypothesis that Na taurocholate and trypsin are components of bile-pancreatic juice that exacerbate acute pancreatitis when excluded. Our experiments show that combined replacement of Na taurocholate and trypsin ameliorates acute pancreatitis. In the second part of the study we test the hypothesis that bile-pancreatic juice exclusion from gut exacerbates acute pancreatitis via combined CCK-A and cholinergic receptor pathways. Our experiments show that combined CCK-A and cholinergic receptor blockade significantly ameliorates acute pancreatitis while blockade of either receptor alone does not. We conclude that bile-pancreatic juice exclusion-induced exacerbation of ligation-induced acute pancreatitis involves a neurohormonal duodenal response to exclusion of trypsin and Na taurocholate resulting in acinar cell hyperstimulation via combined CCK-A and cholinergic receptor-mediated pathways. Copyright 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel and IAP.