Apoptosis in acute pancreatitis

Background: Apoptosis may be involved in the mechanism of acinar cell injur y in acute experimental pancreatitis. Aim: This study was to investigate whether apoptosis also is involved in hu man acute pancreatitis. Method: A needle biopsy pancreatic specimen was obtained from a patient wit h acute oedematous pancreatitis. The specimen was stained with In Situ Cell Death Detection Kit. Similar specimen from a patient undergoing pancreatod uodenectomy for bile duct cancer served as a control. Results: Extended acinar cell apoptosis was found in the pancreatitis speci men. No single apoptotic cell was found in the control pancreas. Conclusion: Apotosis probably is involved not only in acute experimental pa ncreatitis but also in human acute oedematous pancreatitis. The induction a nd role of apoptosis in pancreatis is discussed based on literature.