Expression of survivin gene in a rat model of acute pancreatitis

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of survivin in acute pancreatitis in rats. METHODS: Acute pancreatitis was induced in rats by retrograde injection of sodium taurocholate into the pancreaticobiliary duct. The expressions of survivin in the pancreatic tissues was detected by immunohistochemisty, Western blotting and RT-PCR, and the apoptotic ratio of the acinar cells was determined by TUNEL assay. RESULTS: Survivin was not detected in the control group, and in rat models of acute pancreatitis, the expressions of survivin protein and mRNA increased but the apoptotic index of the acinar cells decreased gradually with the severity of inflammation. CONCLUSION: Survivin is involved in the regulation of acinar cell apoptosis and also the necrosis of the apoptotic acinar cells through its anti-apoptosis activity to aggravate acute pancreatitis, suggesting its value as a promising marker in predicting the severity of acute pancreatitis.