Are gastric mucosal macrophages responsible for gastric injury in acute pancreatitis?

Figure 1 Pathological changes in the pancreas. The pancreas of rats in the C group showed no morphological changes (A, B); Significant inflammatory cell infiltration was observed in the P group (C, D); Mild pancreatic edema, hemorrhage, and inflammatory cell infiltration were observed in the T group (E, F). Original magnification: × 200. SAP: Severe acute pancreatitis; PBS: Phosphate-buffered saline.

Figure 2 Morphological changes in the gastric mucosa. Gastric sections with normal mucosa, histopathologically graded as 0-1 (A, B); Gastric sections with mucosa necrosis, histopathologically graded as 3-4 (C, D); Slightly damaged gastric mucosa was observed in the group treated with drug-containing liposomes (E, F). Original magnification: × 200. SAP: Severe acute pancreatitis; PBS: Phosphate-buffered saline.

Figure 3 Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling analysis of apoptosis in each group. Apoptosis was not observed in the gastric mucosa of the C group (A, B); The apoptotic cell indices of the mucosal cells were higher in the T group (C, D) than in the P group (E, F), 2 and 6 h after induction of severe acute pancreatitis. Original magnification: × 200. SAP: Severe acute pancreatitis; PBS: Phosphate-buffered saline.

Figure 4 Number of macrophages observed in the gastric mucosa. Macrophages were detected immunohistochemically using anti-CD68 antibodies. CD68-positive cells were rarely seen in the control rats (A, B); Numerous CD68-positive cell clusters were observed in the P group (C, D); Fewer CD68-positive cells were observed in the T group compared with the P group (E, F). Original magnification: × 200. SAP: Severe acute pancreatitis; PBS: Phosphate-buffered saline.