Synthesis and degradation of collagen in pancreatic fibrogenesis

Citation
R. Valderrama et al., Synthesis and degradation of collagen in pancreatic fibrogenesis, PANCREAS, 18(1), 1999, pp. 34-38
Citations number
28
Categorie Soggetti
da verificare
Journal title
PANCREAS
ISSN journal
08853177 → ACNP
Volume
18
Issue
1
Year of publication
1999
Pages
34 - 38
Database
ISI
SICI code
0885-3177(199901)18:1<34:SADOCI>2.0.ZU;2-Q
Abstract
The mechanism of fibrogenesis in the pancreas is not well known. We analyze d the role of prolylhydroxylase and collagenase activities in the developme nt of fibrosis in chronic alcoholic pancreatitis (CAP). Nineteen patients w ith CAP and 11 controls (organ donors) with normal pancreatic histology wer e included in the study. Pancreatic tissue was obtained from all subjects t o measure (a) area of fibrosis (histomorphometric method); (b) prolylhydrox ylase activity (PHase), which reflects the intracellular synthesis of colla gen (Hutton's method); and (c) collagenase activity, which reflects the deg radation of collagen (collagenase assay system, H-3). The percentage of the fibrosis area in relation to the total area of pancreatic tissue was signi ficantly higher in CAP than in the control group (70.6 +/- 20.2% vs. 4.6 +/ - 1.8%; p < 0.001). Mean pancreatic PHase activity was also significantly h igher in CAP than in the control group (775 +/- 258 cpm/mg protein/h vs. 40 5 +/- 151 cpm/mg protein/h; p < 0.001), The collagenase activity was signif icantly lower in CAP than in the control group (8.7 +/- 3.5 cpm/cpm added/m g protein vs. 18.0 +/- 3.9 cpm/cpm added/mg protein; p < 0.001). A signific ant correlation was observed between percentage fibrosis evaluated histomor phometrically and PHase activity in all patients (r = 0.72; p < 0.001), and between PHase and collagenase activities in controls (r = 0.70; p = 0.024) , but not in CAP. Pancreatic tissue in CAP has an increased fibrogenic acti vity and an impaired collagen-degradation capacity. These findings might ex plain the excessive development of fibrosis in CAP.