Epidermal growth factor accelerates pancreatic recovery after caerulein-induced pancreatitis

We examined the influence of endogenous and exogenous epidermal growth fact or (EGF) on pancreatic repair after acute pancreatitis. Caerulein-induced p ancreatitis was evoked in rats with intact or removed salivary glands and E GF (10 mu g/kg) was administered starting 24 h after cessation of caerulein infusion. The dose of EGF 10 mu g/kg was chosen because it was the most ef fective in preliminary experiments when 1, 10 or 50 mu g/kg of EGF was used . Caerulein administration caused acute edematous pancreatitis with biochem ical and histological manifestation of pancreatic damage, followed by spont aneous regeneration. The effect of salivectomy on the course of acute pancr eatitis was slight, resulting in additional reduction in pancreatic blood f low, DNA synthesis and in an increase in plasma interleukin 1 beta level. T reatment with EGF accelerated the healing of pancreatic damage, causing an increase in pancreatic blood flow and DNA synthesis. EGF caused faster norm alization of plasma amylase and lipase activity and plasma interleukin 1 be ta concentration, as well as, this peptide accelerated the restoration of p ancreatic amylase activity. On histological examination, EGF caused reducti on of pancreatic damage and acceleration of tissue repair. We conclude that EGF reduces the severity of pancreatic damage evoked by caerulein-induced pancreatitis-related pancreatic damage and accelerates tissue repair. The b eneficial effects of EGF appear to depend. at least in part, on the improve ment of pancreatic blood flow, as well as on an increase of pancreatic cell growth and limitation of the activation cytokine release. (C) 2000 Elsevie r Science B.V. All rights reserved.