Insulin can effectively shield cells of pancreas from acute pancreatitis, a new research by the University of Manchester shows.
Acute pancreatitis is a sudden inflammation of the pancreas and the condition can have severe complications and high mortality despite treatment. Mild cases are mostly successfully treated with conservative measures, such as NPO (nil per os, fasting) and aggressive intravenous fluid rehydration. However, in extreme conditions the patients might be admitted to the intensive care unit or even need surgery to deal with complications.
The condition leads to severe abdominal pain, vomiting and systemic inflammation.
"Insulin works by restoring the energy levels of pancreatic acinar cells, which fuels the calcium pumps on the membrane of these cells," Jason Bruce from University of Manchester said in a press release. "These calcium pumps help to restore cellular calcium and prevent the catastrophic cell death and auto-digestion of the pancreas."
Researchers explained that as alcohol and fat build up inside the pancreatic acinar cells (responsible for secretion of digestive enzymes into the gut) it results in small molecules called metabolites, which deplete cellular energy levels and increase cellular calcium. This further leads to uncontrolled and catastrophic cell death and the cells burst, discharging their toxic enzymes, which digest the pancreas and surrounding tissue.
Their findings revealed that insulin averts these toxic effects of alcohol and fatty acid metabolites. Researchers said that they concentrated on insulin because it has been used productively to treat obese pancreatitis patients by reducing fatty acids in the blood.
The study is the first to show that insulin directly protects the acinar cells, the origin of the disease. People with diabetes are at increased risk of developing pancreatitis and multiple organ failure.
The study was published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
