Plasma miR-216a as a potential marker of pancreatic injury in a rat model of acute pancreatitis

Figure 1 Expression of miR-216a in healthy rat tissues. Measurements of miR-216a in different samples were achieved by conducting real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assay by means of 2^35-Ct as the relative expression level. Three rats were used in this experiment. Bars represent mean values of plasma miR-216a’s quantification. TG: Thyroid gland; SI: Small intestine; LI: Large intestine; BV: Blood vessel.

Figure 2 Plasma levels of miR-216a, miR-16, lipase, and amylase at different time points after induction of acute pancreatitis. A: Production of plasma miR-216a was significantly increased 24 h after L-arginine administration and remained significantly higher until 48 h after administration (Kruskal-Wallis Test); B: The amount of plasma miR-16 remained unchanged across all time points (One-way ANOVA); C and D: Plasma lipase and amylase levels were significantly elevated 24 h after administration (Kruskal-Wallis Test). Data are presented as the mean and SD. Ten rats were studied at each time point. ^bP < 0.01 vs 0 h time point.

Figure 3 Light micrographs of the pancreas at 0 h (A), 12 h (B), 24 h (C), 48 h (D) and 72 h (E) after arginine injection. A: Neither interstitial edema nor acinar cell necrosis is seen; B: Interstitial edema and slight cellular infiltration in the interstitium can be seen; C: The acinar structures are partially destroyed. Interstitial edema and inflammatory infiltrate are greater in degree than at 12 h; D: The acinar architecture is markedly disrupted; E: Most pancreatic acinar cells show signs of degeneration or necrosis. Adipose tissue can be seen in the interstitial spaces.

Figure 4 Amylase, lipase levels and light micrographs of pancreatic tissue in cecal ligation and puncture model. A: Pancreatic tissue was normal in the cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) model; B: Plasma amylase and lipase were significantly elevated 24 h after induction of this model, while plasma miR-216a remained undetectable. Data are presented as the mean ± SD. Eight rats were studied throughout the experiment with the CLP model. ^aP < 0.05 vs 0 h time point; ^bP < 0.01 vs 0 h time point. Pairwise Bonferroni corrected t-tests.