Phospholipase A₂ in acute pancreatitis: review

Abstract 

Phospholipase A₂ (PLA₂) is a key enzyme in the generation of prostanoids that are important mediators of inflammation. Review of recent literature on the involvement of PLA₂ in acute pancreatitis (AP). Pancreatic group IB PLA₂ mediates local pancreatic cell injury but not distant organ damage. Nonpancreatic group (G) IIA PLA₂ is an acute-phase protein that functions in defense against infection and removal of injured cells but is quite harmless to uninjured cells. The concentration of GIIA PLA₂ in serum correlates with the severity of AP. PLA₂ inhibitors are effective in the therapy of experimental AP but have not penetrated to clinical use as drugs to treat the human disease. Specific immunoassays have been developed for the measurement of both GIB PLA₂ and GIIA PLA₂ in serum. The former assay is a method suitable for detecting pancreatic injury and the latter to assess the severity of AP.

Keywords: Acute phase response, Edematous pancreatitis, Group IB phospholipase PLA₂, Group IIA phospholipase PLA₂, Immunoassay, Infection, Inflammation, Pancreatic necrosis