Expression of sonic hedgehog signaling pathways in a rat model of chronic pancreatitis

OBJECTIVE: To establish a rat model of chronic pancreatitis, and to prove the activation of sonic hedgehog (SHH) signaling pathways in chronic pancreatitis.

METHODS: This study was conducted between January and July 2008 in the Department of General Surgery, Wuhan General Hospital, Guangzhou Military Command, Wuhan, China. Thirty Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: control group (A), experimental control group (B), and model group (C) (10 rats in each group). Trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid was infused into the pancreatic duct to induce chronic pancreatitis in the model group rats. In the experimental control group, we opened the abdominal cavity and infused with 0.9% sodium chloride solution. Serum levels of bilirubin and amylase were determined by radioimmunoassay. Histopathological alterations were studied using the optical microscopy. Expression of patched-1 (PTCH-1), smoothened (SMO), and SHH were detected by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS: Compared with the control group (A), the serum bilirubin and amylase in the model group increased significantly after 7 days of treatment, and fibrotic proliferation of pancreatic tissues were found after 35 days; the expression of PTCH-1, SMO, and SHH in the pancreatic tissue increased significantly in the model group.

CONCLUSION: Trinitrobeneze sulfonic acid can induce chronic pancreatitis in rat. The SHH signaling pathway is activated in rats with chronic pancreatitis.