Effect of peritoneal lavage with ulinastatin on the expression of NF-κB and TNF-α in multiple organs of rats with severe acute pancreatitis

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of peritoneal lavage with ulinastatin on the expression levels of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in multiple organs of rats with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into the following groups: Sham-operated (C), SAP model (SAP), saline lavage (SL), intravenous ulinastatin (IU) and peritoneal lavage with ulinastatin (UL). The SAP model was induced by the retrograde infusion of 5% sodium taurocholate into the biliopancreatic ducts of the rats. Intraperitoneal lavage or injection was performed immediately following the establishment of the SAP model in groups SL, IU and UL. Intraperitoneal lavage with or without ulinastatin was performed for 3 h. The survival time of half of the rats in each group was recorded over a 12-h period. At 3 h after the induction of SAP, inflammatory mediators and the expression levels of NF-κB and TNF-α in multiple organs of the rats in each group were also detected. The survival rates of the rats in group UL at 6 h and 9 h were increased compared with those in group SAP, and were also higher than that in groups SL and IU. The levels of serum inflammatory mediators were effectively reduced in groups SL, IU and UL, the greatest effects were observed in group UL. The expression levels of NF-κB and TNF-α in multiple organs were significantly lower in group UL compared with other groups. Intraperitoneal lavage with ulinastatin significantly ameliorated the inflammatory reaction and inhibited NF-κB and TNF-α expression in multiple organs of SAP model rats.