Published online Dec 7, 2019. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v25.i45.6653
Peer-review started: September 17, 2019
First decision: November 4, 2019
Revised: November 8, 2019
Accepted: November 16, 2019
Article in press: November 16, 2019
Published online: December 7, 2019
Processing time: 79 Days and 23.5 Hours
Acute pancreatitis (AP) is often associated with intestinal injury, which in turn exaggerates the progression of AP. Our recent study has shown that a low level of serum irisin, a novel exercise-induced hormone, is associated with poor outcomes in patients with AP and irisin administration protects against experimental AP. However, the role of irisin in intestinal injury in AP has not been evaluated.
To investigate the effect of irisin administration on intestinal injury in experimental AP.
AP was induced in male adult mice by two hourly intraperitoneal injections of L-arginine. At 2 h after the last injection of L-arginine, irisin (50 or 250 μg/kg body weight) or 1 mL normal saline (vehicle) was administered through intraperitoneal injection. The animals were sacrificed at 72 h after the induction of AP. Intestinal injury, apoptosis, oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress were evaluated.
Administration of irisin significantly mitigated intestinal damage, reduced apoptosis, and attenuated oxidative and ER stress in AP mice. In addition, irisin treatment also effectively downregulated serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 levels and alleviated injury in the pancreas, liver and lung of AP mice.
Irisin-mediated multiple physiological events attenuate intestinal injury following an episode of AP. Irisin has a great potential to be further developed as an effective treatment for patients with AP.
Core tip: In this study, we reported for the first time that intraperitoneal injection of irisin could relieve intestinal injury in mice with acute pancreatitis (AP). AP was induced in male adult mice by two hourly intraperitoneal injections of L-arginine. At 2 h after the last injection of L-arginine, irisin (50 or 250 μg/kg body weight) or 1 mL normal saline (vehicle) was administered through intraperitoneal injection. Irisin alleviated intestinal and systemic inflammatory reactions by inhibiting intestinal endoplasmic reticulum stress and oxidative stress in mice with AP, reduced the degree of intestinal tissue apoptosis and injury and finally alleviated the condition of pancreatitis.