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Melatonin, a pineal secretory product, synthesized from l-tryptophan, has received increased attention because of its antioxidative and immunomodulatory properties. It has been detected in the gut and shown to protect the gastric mucosa, and liver from acute damage, but the role of melatonin in the protection of the pancreas against acute inflammation is not clear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of melatonin and its precursor, l-tryptophan, on caerulein-induced pancreatitis (CIP) and on ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-provoked pancreatitis in rats. CIP was induced by subcutaneous infusion of caerulein to the rats (25 microg/kg). I/R was induced by clamping of the inferior splenic artery for 30 min followed by 2 hr of reperfusion. Melatonin (10, 25 or 50 mg/hr) or l-tryptophan (50, 100 or 250 mg/kg) was given as a bolus intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection 30 min prior to the onset of pancreatitis. CIP and I/R were confirmed by histologic examination and manifested by typical pancreatic edema, by an increase of plasma levels of amylase (by 500% in CIP and by 40% in I/R) and the pro-inflammatory tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) (by 500%). Lipid peroxidation products such as malondialdehyde (MDA) and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE), were increased several fold in the pancreas CIP and I/R, whereas pancreatic blood flow (PBF) was significantly reduced in these animals. Pretreatment of rats subjected to CIP or to I/R with melatonin (25 or 50 mg/kg i.p.) or l-tryptophan (100 or 250 mg/kg i.p.) significantly reduced pancreatic edema, plasma levels of amylase and TNFalpha and diminished pancreatic MDA + 4-HNE contents, while enhancing PBF, pancreatic integrity and plasma levels of the anti-inflammatory interleukin 10 (IL-10). This was accompanied by a marked and dose-dependent rise of plasma melatonin immunoreactivity. Gene expression of N-acetyl transferase, an enzyme involved in melatonin biosynthesis, was detected in the pancreas of normal rats and was significantly enhanced in the rats with CIP. We conclude that exogenous melatonin, and that produced from l-tryptophan, attenuates pancreatic damage induced by CIP or by I/R and this effect may be attributable to the reduction in lipid peroxidation and TNFalpha release combined with an increase of plasma anti-inflammatory IL-10 in rats with acute pancreatitis.

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Melatonin, a pineal hormone, synthesized from L-tryptophan, is known to exist in the gut and to scavenge oxygen free radicals but its role in gastroprotection against acute lesions induced by various strong irritants has been little studied. In this study, we determined the effects of melatonin and L-tryptophan on gastric secretion and the formation of acute gastric lesions induced by absolute ethanol, acidified aspirin (ASA), stress, and ischemia-reperfusion (I/R). Area of gastric lesions was determined by planimetry, gastric blood flow (GBF) was measured using a H2-gas clearance technique, and blood was withdrawn for the measurement of free radicals, plasma gastrin, and melatonin concentration by specific radioimmunoassay. Intragastric (i.g.) administration of melatonin (2.5-10 mg/kg) or L-tryptophan (25-200 mg/kg) failed to affect gastric lesions by ethanol and ASA but dose-dependently reduced the lesions provoked by stress and I/R; this protective effect was accompanied by a significant rise in plasma melatonin level, GBF, and DNA synthesis and by a marked fall in blood free radicals. L-tryptophan, which significantly elevated the plasma melatonin by about 3-5-fold, also reduced the stress and I/R-induced lesions and blood levels of free radicals, while increasing the GBF, DNA synthesis, and plasma gastrin levels. Inhibition of mucosal generation of PGE2 by indomethacin abolished the protection and the rise of GBF afforded by melatonin and L-tryptophan, whereas pretreatment with N(G)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA), to suppress nitric oxide (NO) synthase, was without any effect. We conclude that melatonin applied exogenously in pharmacological doses and that released by the administration of its precursor, L-tryptophan, protect gastric mucosa from the damage induced by stress and I/R possibly by a mechanism involving the scavenging of free radicals and gastric hyperemia probably mediated by endogenous prostaglandin but not NO.