Urinary excretion of trypsinogen activation peptide (TAP) in taurocholate-induced pancreatitis in rats

Trypsinogen activation peptide (TAP) is a useful marker of severe acute pan creatitis. However, it is sometimes difficult to detect an elevation of pla sma TAP in patients with acute pancreatitis because TAP is rapidly cleared from plasma. Therefore, urine TAP has been evaluated to provide an accurate prediction of the outcome of pancreatitis. In the present study, we examin ed the time course of plasma and urine TAP simultaneously after induction o f taurocholate-induced pancreatitis in rats. Plasma TAP levels peaked at 1 hour after the induction of pancreatitis and then gradually decreased, but was still higher than prepancreatitis levels at 48 hours. Significant incre ases in urine TAP levels were seen at 0-6, 6-12, and 30-36 hours after indu ction of pancreatitis. The peak level of urine TAP output and TAP/creatinin e ratio was observed at 6-12 and 30-36 hours, respectively. Urine TAP conce ntration showed a significant correlation with both urine TAP/creatinine ra tio and TAP output in urine (p < 0.01). In conclusion, plasma TAP increased immediately after the induction of pancreatitis, but excretion of TAP into urine was delayed several hours in taurocholate-induced pancreatitis in ra ts, The measurement of urine TAP concentration alone sufficiently can refle ct the amount of TAP liberated in the pancreas at initial stage of acute pa ncreatitis.