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Activin A Modulates Inflammation in Acute Pancreatitis and Strongly Predicts Severe Disease Independent of Body Mass Index.


ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a healthcare challenge with considerable mortality. Treatment is limited to supportive care, highlighting the need to investigate disease drivers and prognostic markers. Activin A is an established mediator of inflammatory responses, and its serum levels correlate with AP severity. We hypothesized that activin A is independent of body mass index (BMI) and is a targetable promoter of the AP inflammatory response.

Methods

We assessed whether BMI and serum activin A levels are independent markers to determine disease severity in a cohort of patients with AP. To evaluate activin A inhibition as a therapeutic, we used a cerulein-induced murine model of AP and treated mice with activin A-specific neutralizing antibody or immunoglobulin G control, both before and during the development of AP. We measured the production and release of activin A by pancreas and macrophage cell lines and observed the activation of macrophages after activin A treatment.

Results

BMI and activin A independently predicted severe AP in patients. Inhibiting activin A in AP mice reduced disease severity and local immune cell infiltration. Inflammatory stimulation led to activin A production and release by pancreas cells but not by macrophages. Macrophages were activated by activin A, suggesting activin A might promote inflammation in the pancreas in response to injury.

Discussion

Activin A provides a promising therapeutic target to interrupt the cycle of inflammation and tissue damage in AP progression. Moreover, assessing activin A and BMI in patients on hospital admission could provide important predictive measures for screening patients likely to develop severe disease.

SUBMITTER: Thomas AL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7263641 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Activin A Modulates Inflammation in Acute Pancreatitis and Strongly Predicts Severe Disease Independent of Body Mass Index.

Thomas Alexandra L AL   Castellanos Karla K   Mancinelli Georgina G   Xia Yinglin Y   Bauer Jessica J   Yazici Cemal C   Fantuzzi Giamila G   Hwang Rosa F RF   Krett Nancy L NL   Papachristou Georgios I GI   Whitcomb David C DC   Jung Barbara B  

Clinical and translational gastroenterology 20200501 5


<h4>Introduction</h4>Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a healthcare challenge with considerable mortality. Treatment is limited to supportive care, highlighting the need to investigate disease drivers and prognostic markers. Activin A is an established mediator of inflammatory responses, and its serum levels correlate with AP severity. We hypothesized that activin A is independent of body mass index (BMI) and is a targetable promoter of the AP inflammatory response.<h4>Methods</h4>We assessed whether B  ...[more]

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