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Increased Bacterial Translocation in Aging Animals Is Not Related to Decreased Intestinal Antimicrobial Peptide Expression in Acute Pancreatitis
Debora G. Cunha, Fabiano Pinheiro Da Silva, Denise F. Barbeiro, Marcia K. Koike, Marcel C Machado^*, Irineu T. Velasco
Emergency, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Introduction/background:Acute pancreatitis (AP) in elderly patients in spite of similar occurrence of local complications is followed by a substantial increase in organ failure and mortality rates. We have recently demonstrated that aging is related to increased bacterial translocation and distant organ damage in acute pancreatitis. Enteric antimicrobial peptides are key effectors of innate immunity and therefore could have reduced expression in aging animals with acute pancreatitis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of aging on intestinal expression of antimicrobial peptides in acute pancreatitis
Methods :AP was induced in male Wistar rats by an intraductal 2.5% taurocholate injection and divided in 2 experimental groups(20 rats each group) G-1 young 3 month old rats and older (18 month old rats). Twelve hours after AP fragments of distal ileum were collected for evaluation of the gene expression of alfa defensins 5 and 7 ,Cramp, IL-1 beta , IL-10 and TNF -alpha.
Results : A significant increase in the intestinal expression of alpha defensins 5 and 7 was observed in older group compared to the young animals with AP (p< 0.05).Cramp gene expression was similar in both groups .Also a significant increase in intestinal TNF-alpha expression was observed in older group compared to young rats (P<0.05). The expression of IL-1 beta was similar in both groups of animals. Intestinal IL-10 gene expression was increased in young animals compared to the older group
Conclusions The increased bacterial translocation in aging animals is not related to a decreased production of antimicrobial peptides but could be related to imbalance between intestinal pro- inflammatory and anti -inflammatory cytokine production

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