Human Pancreatic Phospholipase A2 in Acute Necrotizing Pancreatitis

Abstract
The activity and the content of phospholipase A2 (PLA2), a potential ‘toxin’ in pancreatitis, were determined separately by respective methods in pancreatic tissue resected from 22 patients treated for acute necrotizing pancreatitis. Correspondent enzyme assays were analyzed in the serum of 6 last patients. In cases with total necrosis in the tissue resected, the pancreatic PLA2 activity, but not the content, was almost totally lost. Serum PLA2 activity slightly decreased within the extension of pancreatic necrosis. The timing of sampling, number of positive Ranson signs or the course of the disease had no influence on the tissue PLA2 results. Serum PLA2 activity showed a correlation with tissue PLA2 activity.