Akt pathway is required for oestrogen-mediated attenuation of lung injury in a rodent model of cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis

Background The phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) is known to be an endogenous negative feedback or compensatory mechanism that serves to limit pro-inflammatory and chemotactic events in response to injury. The aim of this study is to elucidate whether Akt plays any role in 17β-estradiol (E2)-mediated attenuation of lung injury after acute pancreatitis (AP). Materials and methods Male Sprague–Dawley rats underwent cerulein-induced AP. Rats were treated with vehicle (cyclodextrin), E2 (1 mg/kg body weight [BW]), or E2 plus PI3K/Akt inhibitor Wortmannin (100 μg/kg BW) 1 h after the onset of AP. At 8 h after sham operation or AP, various parameters were measured. Results AP led to a significant decrease in lung Akt phosphorylation, which was associated with increased lung tissue myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, wet-to-dry weight ratios, interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant (CINC)-1, and CINC-3 levels. Administration of E2 after AP restored the AP-induced decrease in Akt phosphorylation and attenuated the increase in lung injury markers (MPO activity and wet-to dry weight ratios) and pro-inflammatory mediator production. The effects of E2 on the lung were abolished by co-administration of Wortmannin. Conclusions These results collectively suggest evidences that the Akt pathway seems to be required for E2-mediated protection of lung injury after AP.