This thesis pertains to the pathogenesis of alcoholic pancreatitis, a considerable burden in terms of morbidity, mortality and health related costs. It has long been known that only a minority of alcoholics develop clinically evident pancreatitis, suggesting that (an) additional trigger factor(s) is required to elicit overt disease. Endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide LPS), from gut-derived gram negative bacteria may be one such trigger factor, since alcoholics exhibit increased levels of serum endotoxin. In addition, the degree of endotoxinaemia has been reported to correlate with the severity of pancreatitis. Studies described in this thesis report, i) the development of a novel rodent model of alcoholic pancreatitis produced by challenging alcohol-fed animals with single or repeated doses of LPS. The animals exhibit features of both acute (acinar vacuolisation, necrosis, pancreatic oedema, haemorrhage and inflammatory infiltration) and chronic (acinar atrophy and pancreatic fibrosis) pancreatitis; ii) the reversion of pancreatic injury (including fibrosis) upon withdrawal of alcohol in the model and the persistence of pancreatic damage with continuation of alcohol feeding; iii) activation of pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs, known to play a central role in fibrogenesis) in vivo and in vitro by alcohol and LPS; iv) the inhibition of PSC apoptosis in vivo and in vitro upon exposure to alcohol and LPS and the induction of PSC apoptosis in vivo upon withdrawal of alcohol from the diet and v) the presence of LPS receptors TLR4 and CD14 on PSCs, which would explain the responsiveness of PSCs to LPS. Thus the work in this thesis provides strong evidence in support of endotoxin as a clinically relevant trigger factor for the initiation of alcoholic pancreatitis and as a factor that promotes disease progression. The thesis also provides the first experimental evidence to support the clinical reports of a beneficial effect of abstinence on chronic pancreatitis. Delineation of the mechanisms mediating the induction, progression and reversibility of alcoholic pancreatitis has the potential to direct the development of new therapeutic interventions for alcohol-related pancreatic injury.

This thesis pertains to the pathogenesis of alcoholic pancreatitis, a considerable burden in terms of morbidity, mortality and health related costs. It has long been known that only a minority of alcoholics develop clinically evident pancreatitis, suggesting that (an) additional trigger factor(s) is required to elicit overt disease. Endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide LPS), from gut-derived gram negative bacteria may be one such trigger factor, since alcoholics exhibit increased levels of serum endotoxin. In addition, the degree of endotoxinaemia has been reported to correlate with the severity of pancreatitis. Studies described in this thesis report, i) the development of a novel rodent model of alcoholic pancreatitis produced by challenging alcohol-fed animals with single or repeated doses of LPS. The animals exhibit features of both acute (acinar vacuolisation, necrosis, pancreatic oedema, haemorrhage and inflammatory infiltration) and chronic (acinar atrophy and pancreatic fibrosis) pancreatitis; ii) the reversion of pancreatic injury (including fibrosis) upon withdrawal of alcohol in the model and the persistence of pancreatic damage with continuation of alcohol feeding; iii) activation of pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs, known to play a central role in fibrogenesis) in vivo and in vitro by alcohol and LPS; iv) the inhibition of PSC apoptosis in vivo and in vitro upon exposure to alcohol and LPS and the induction of PSC apoptosis in vivo upon withdrawal of alcohol from the diet and v) the presence of LPS receptors TLR4 and CD14 on PSCs, which would explain the responsiveness of PSCs to LPS. Thus the work in this thesis provides strong evidence in support of endotoxin as a clinically relevant trigger factor for the initiation of alcoholic pancreatitis and as a factor that promotes disease progression. The thesis also provides the first experimental evidence to support the clinical reports of a beneficial effect of abstinence on chronic pancreatitis. Delineation of the mechanisms mediating the induction, progression and reversibility of alcoholic pancreatitis has the potential to direct the development of new therapeutic interventions for alcohol-related pancreatic injury.

No description available.

Abstract Heavy alcohol consumption places a substantial burden on health all over the world. Metabolites of alcohol evoke alterations that lead to tissue damage in many organs. Phosphatidylethanol (PEth) is a unique phospholipid formed in the cellular membranes during the metabolism of ethanol after alcohol consumption. PEth has attracted special attention as it is postulated to be a reliable marker of long term heavy alcohol consumption. The aims of present study were to investigate the immunogenicity of phosphatidylethanol in mice and to analyze the plasma antibodies binding to phosphatidylethanol in humans. In this study a clear immune response was generated in mice immunized with PEth in human low density lipoprotein (LDL) carrier. Mouse monoclonal IgM antibodies binding specifically to phosphoethyl head group of PEth were generated using hybridoma technology. Since PEth was shown to be immunogenic in mice, plasma was analyzed for the presence of antibodies also in humans. PEth-specific antibodies of IgG, IgA and IgM isotypes in plasma were detected in heavy drinkers of alcohol with or without pancreatitis as well as in the controls. The plasma levels of the antibodies binding to PEth were significantly lower in the study subjects with heavy alcohol use and in this present study sample the low IgA levels to PEth were better indicators of heavy alcohol consumption as compared to the some of the traditional markers of heavy alcohol use. The antibody levels to PEth associated significantly to plasma antibodies binding to malondialdehyde-acetaldehyde adducts that are known to be formed during alcohol metabolism but not to antibodies binding to phosphocholine which is generated by lipid oxidation in humans. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that phosphatidylethanol is immunogenic in mice when using carriers such as human LDL in the immunization process. The binding of the monoclonal antibodies specifically to the PEth head group suggests that it would be feasible to develop a diagnostic immunoassay to PEth. The presence of antibodies binding to PEth in plasma indicates that PEth may be a target of humoral immunity in humans. / Tiivistelmä Runsas alkoholinkulutus aiheuttaa maailmanlaajuisesti merkittäviä terveydellisiä haittoja. Alkoholin aineenvaihduntatuotteet muuttavat kudoksien rakenteita ja aiheuttavat kudosvaurioita. Fosfatidyylietanoli on alkoholin aineenvaihdunnan tuloksena solukalvoilla syntyvä fosfolipidi, jota on tutkittu kahdenkymmenen vuoden ajan lupaavana alkoholin suurkulutuksen merkkiaineena. Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli selvittää fosfatidyylietanolin immunisoinnin aiheuttamaa vasta-aineiden muodostumista koe-eläinmallina käytetyissä hiirissä sekä määrittää ihmisten plasmanäytteistä vasta-aineita, jotka sitoutuvat fosfatidyylietanoliin. Tutkimuksessa havaittiin immuunivasteen muodostuminen hiirissä, jotka immunisoitiin ihmisen LDL hiukkasiin liitetyllä fosfatidyylietanolilla. Hiiren monoklonaalisia fosfatidyylietanoliin sitoutuvia IgM-luokan vasta-aineita tuotettiin tutkimuksessa soluviljelyn avulla. Fosfatidyylietanolin aiheuttama vasta-aineiden muodostuminen hiirillä johdatti mittaamaan fosfatidyylietanoliin sitoutuvia vasta-aineita myös ihmisiltä. Tutkimuksessa havaittiin fosfatidyylietanoliin sitoutuvia IgG-, IgA- ja IgM-luokan vasta-aineita alkoholin suurkuluttajilla, alkoholihaimatulehdusta sairastavilla ja verrokkihenkilöillä. Vasta-aineiden pitoisuudet olivat alkoholia runsaasti käyttävillä koehenkilöillä merkitsevästi pienemmät kuin verrokkiryhmällä. Matalat IgA-vasta-ainepitoisuudet osoittautuivat aineistossa paremmaksi alkoholin suurkulutuksen osoittajiksi kuin eräät tavanomaisesti käytetyt alkoholinkäytön merkkiaineet. Plasman fosfatidyylietanoli-vasta-aineiden ja alkoholin aineenvaihdunnan seurauksena syntyvien malondialdehydi-asetaldehydi-addukteihin sitoutuvien vasta-aineiden määrän välillä havaittiin merkitsevä yhteys, jota ei havaittu rasvojen hapettumisen seurauksena syntyvien fosfokoliini-vasta-aineiden ja fosfatidyylietanoli-vasta-aineiden välillä. Tutkimus osoittaa, että hiirillä voidaan aikaansaada vasta-ainevälitteinen immuunivaste, kun ne rokotetaan ihmisen LDL-hiukkaseen liitetyllä fosfatidyylietanolilla. Fosfatidyylietanoliin spesifisesti sitoutuvien monoklonaalisten vasta-aineiden tuottaminen voi tulevaisuudessa johtaa immunologisen diagnostisen määritysmenetelmän kehittämiseen. Fosfatidyylietanoliin sitoutuvien plasman vasta-aineiden havaitseminen viittaa siihen, että fosfatidyylietanoli on vasta-ainevälitteisen immuunivasteen kohde myös ihmisillä.

A pancreatite crônica alcoólica (PCA) tem o álcool como seu principal fator etiológico, a relação entre ingestão de álcool e estado nutricional é complexa e as características nutricionais dos portadores de PCA são pouco conhecidas. Neste trabalho, foram avaliados três grupos de pacientes do sexo masculino, o primeiro (A) com 20 pacientes com PCA, o segundo (B) com 12 etlistas crônicos não pancreatopatas e não hepatopatas e o terceiro (C) com 16 indivíduos não etlistas, não pancreatopatas e não hepatopatas. Para analisar os três grupos utilizaram-se a avaliação antropométrica, a quantificação da ingestão alcoólica, quando existente, o inquérito dietético obtido por Recordatório de 24 horas, a composição corpórea, obtida por bioimpedância elétrica, exames séricos relacionados à avaliação hepática e pancreática, dosagem de vitaminas e de sais minerais, além de marcadores inflamatórios, como proteína C reativa, seroamiloide A e leptina, além de exames de imagem, como ultrassonografia abdominal e/ou tomografia computadorizada de abdômen. A PCA (Grupo A) não se associou à queda da ingestão dietética, porém houve redução da massa magra, evidenciando desnutrição protéica; os etilistas sem pancreatite (Grupo B) apresentaram menor massa magra em relação aos pacientes do grupo C e foi possível demonstrar que a composição corpórea e o perfil inflamatório são distintos e relevantes, não apenas na PCA (Grupo A), mas também nos etilistas sem lesão pancreática (Grupo B), que também devem ser melhor estudados e acompanhados ao longo do seu curso clínico. Em síntese, encontraram-se evidências de subnutrição e aberrações metabólicas tanto nos casos de alcoolismo com lesão pancreática quanto nos etilistas aparentemente sem lesão pancreática ou hepática. Achado até o momento não relatado pela literatura / Alcoholic pancreatitis has alcohol as the primary etiologic factor. The relationship between alcohol intake and nutritional status is complex and the nutritional characteristics of patients with this disease are unknown. In this study, we evaluated three groups of male patients, one (A) with 20 patients with alcoholic pancreatitis, another (B) with 12 alcoholics without pancreatic or liver disease and the last (C) with 16 non - alcoholics , free from any systemic disease or organ insufficiency. To analyze the three groups, we used anthropometric assessment, quantification of alcohol intake, dietary recall, body composition estimated by bioimpedance analysis, biochemical tests related to liver and pancreatic function, dosage of vitamins and minerals, inflammatory markers namely C-reactive protein, leptin and serum amyloid A, in addition to imaging studies such as abdominal ultrasonography and computed tomography of the abdomen whenever required. Group A was not associated with decrease in food intake, but there was a reduction in lean body mass, indicating undernutrition. Alcoholics without pancreatitis (group B) also showed lower lean mass compared to patients in group C, demonstring that changes in body composition and inflammatory status are distinct and relevant also in alcoholics without pancreatic injury (Group B). They should be better studied and monitored throughout their clinical course. In synthesis evidence of undernutrition and metabolic aberrations were demonstrated in both alcoholism with pancreatic damage and in nominally healthy alcoholics, a finding not hitherto reported in the literature

A pancreatite crônica alcoólica (PCA) tem o álcool como seu principal fator etiológico, a relação entre ingestão de álcool e estado nutricional é complexa e as características nutricionais dos portadores de PCA são pouco conhecidas. Neste trabalho, foram avaliados três grupos de pacientes do sexo masculino, o primeiro (A) com 20 pacientes com PCA, o segundo (B) com 12 etlistas crônicos não pancreatopatas e não hepatopatas e o terceiro (C) com 16 indivíduos não etlistas, não pancreatopatas e não hepatopatas. Para analisar os três grupos utilizaram-se a avaliação antropométrica, a quantificação da ingestão alcoólica, quando existente, o inquérito dietético obtido por Recordatório de 24 horas, a composição corpórea, obtida por bioimpedância elétrica, exames séricos relacionados à avaliação hepática e pancreática, dosagem de vitaminas e de sais minerais, além de marcadores inflamatórios, como proteína C reativa, seroamiloide A e leptina, além de exames de imagem, como ultrassonografia abdominal e/ou tomografia computadorizada de abdômen. A PCA (Grupo A) não se associou à queda da ingestão dietética, porém houve redução da massa magra, evidenciando desnutrição protéica; os etilistas sem pancreatite (Grupo B) apresentaram menor massa magra em relação aos pacientes do grupo C e foi possível demonstrar que a composição corpórea e o perfil inflamatório são distintos e relevantes, não apenas na PCA (Grupo A), mas também nos etilistas sem lesão pancreática (Grupo B), que também devem ser melhor estudados e acompanhados ao longo do seu curso clínico. Em síntese, encontraram-se evidências de subnutrição e aberrações metabólicas tanto nos casos de alcoolismo com lesão pancreática quanto nos etilistas aparentemente sem lesão pancreática ou hepática. Achado até o momento não relatado pela literatura / Alcoholic pancreatitis has alcohol as the primary etiologic factor. The relationship between alcohol intake and nutritional status is complex and the nutritional characteristics of patients with this disease are unknown. In this study, we evaluated three groups of male patients, one (A) with 20 patients with alcoholic pancreatitis, another (B) with 12 alcoholics without pancreatic or liver disease and the last (C) with 16 non - alcoholics , free from any systemic disease or organ insufficiency. To analyze the three groups, we used anthropometric assessment, quantification of alcohol intake, dietary recall, body composition estimated by bioimpedance analysis, biochemical tests related to liver and pancreatic function, dosage of vitamins and minerals, inflammatory markers namely C-reactive protein, leptin and serum amyloid A, in addition to imaging studies such as abdominal ultrasonography and computed tomography of the abdomen whenever required. Group A was not associated with decrease in food intake, but there was a reduction in lean body mass, indicating undernutrition. Alcoholics without pancreatitis (group B) also showed lower lean mass compared to patients in group C, demonstring that changes in body composition and inflammatory status are distinct and relevant also in alcoholics without pancreatic injury (Group B). They should be better studied and monitored throughout their clinical course. In synthesis evidence of undernutrition and metabolic aberrations were demonstrated in both alcoholism with pancreatic damage and in nominally healthy alcoholics, a finding not hitherto reported in the literature