OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the pathogenesis of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) in rats.

METHODSSixty-four male SD rats were randomly divided into control group and SAP group, and in the latter group, SAP was induced by retrograde injection of 5% sodium taurocholate in the pancreaticobiliary duct. The rats were sacrificed at 1, 3, 6 and 12 h after the operation, and the severity of pancreatitis was assessed according to histological scoring. The serum levels of VEGF were examined with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the expression of VEGF in the pancreatic tissues was measured by SP immunohistochemistry. Another 30 SD rats were randomized into the control group, SAP group and SAP+recombinant rat VEGF injection group, and the vascular permeability of the pancreatic microcirculation was determined by Evans Blue leakage test.

RESULTSAt each of the time points for measurement, both the serum VEGF level and scores of pancreatic tissue injury were significantly higher in SAP group than in the control group (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the expressions of VEGF in the pancreatic tissues of SAP group were significantly up-regulated following the operation (P<0.05). The vascular permeability of the pancreatic microcirculation significantly increased after the onset of SAP, and injection of recombinant rat VEGF significantly increased the leakage rate of Evans Blue.

CONCLUSIONVEGF may play an important role in the pathogenesis of pancreatitis and in causing edema and hemorrhage in SAP, and the level of serum VEGF may reflect the severity of pancreatic injury.