| Abstract: | We investigated the influence of restraint stress on caerulein-induced pancreatitis in rats, especially in relation to endogenous glucocorticoids. Pancreatitis was induced by repeated injections of caerulein, and the serum amylase levels, pancreas weight and histological findings were evaluated 6 h later. Restraint stress was performed by immobilizing the animals in Bollman cages from 30 min before the first injection of caerulein, while mifepristone, the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist, was administered s.c. 1 h before. Repeated injections of caerulein produced marked increases in not only the serum amylase levels and pancreas weight but also the intralobular edema of pancreas when determined histologically. Restraint stress significantly reduced the increase in both serum amylase levels and intralobular edema, but not the pancreas weight. The improvement by restraint stress of pancreatitis was totally antagonized by pretreatment with mifepristone. We conclude that restraint stress exerts a beneficial influence on caerulein-induced pancreatitis, mediated by endogenous glucocorticoids. |
