Abstract
This paper was aimed to detect Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) microcirculatory expression and localization in rat pancreas and intestine. Acute pancreatitis (AP) was induced by twice injections of cerulein (20 μg in total) and acute necrotizing pancreatitis (ANP) was induced by intraductal injection of 5% taurocholate (1 ml/kg.bw). Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were used to detect and localize TLR4 in the pancreas and intestine. Results showed that RT-PCR of RNA isolated from pancreatic and intestinal tissue yielded the predicted amplicon for TLR4; IHC analysis localized TLR4 expression to the endothelium of pancreatic arteriole, venule, acinar capillary network and sinusoidal capillary of endocrine islet; TLR4 expression in intestine was principally in the microvascular endothelium and leucocytes within the mucosa lamina propria. TLR4 staining in intestine was more intense in taurocholate-induced pancreatitis (TIP) than that in cerulein-induced pancreatitis (CIP). In conclusion, TLR4 could be detected in the pancreatic and intestinal microcirculation, suggesting TLR4 involved in the microcirculatory impairment in AP; the more intense intestinal TLR4 expression in TIP suggests a potential risk for secondary infection.