LEUKOTRIENE GENERATION AND NEUTROPHIL INFILTRATION AFTER EXPERIMENTALACUTE-PANCREATITIS

The role of 5-lipoxygenase metabolites of arachidonic acid in the infl ammatory response associated with experimental acute pancreatitis has been evaluated. For this purpose, an experimental necrohemorrhagic pan creatitis was induced in rats by intraductal administration of 5% sodi um taurocholate. Neutrophil infiltration was detected in pancreas at 1 and 3 h after the induction of pancreatitis. This was concomitant wit h increased levels of leukotriene B-4 and peptide leukotrienes (C-4, D -4 and E-4). In lung, similar increases in neutrophil infiltration wer e detected but only 3 h after acute pancreatitis induction, and no cha nges in leukotriene B-4 nor peptide leukotrienes were apparent at this time. These results suggest that after induction of acute pancreatiti s, 5-lipoxygenase metabolites could play a role in the inflammatory re sponse in the pancreas, but they are not involved in the inflammatory response in lung.