Innate Immune Molecule Surfactant Protein D Attenuates Sepsis-induced Acute Pancreatic Injury through Modulating Apoptosis and NF-κB-mediated Inflammation

Sepsis causes multiple-organ dysfunction including pancreatic injury, thus resulting in high mortality. Innate immune molecule surfactant protein D (SP-D) plays a critical role in host defense and regulating inflammation of infectious diseases. In this study we investigated SP-D functions in the acute pancreatic injury (API) with C57BL/6 Wild-type (WT) and SP-D knockout (KO) mice in cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) model. Our results confirm SP-D expression in pancreatic islets and intercalated ducts and are the first to explore the role of pancreatic SP-D in sepsis. CLP decreased pancreatic SP-D levels and caused severe pancreatic injury with higher serum amylase 24 h after CLP. Apoptosis and neutrophil infiltration were increased in the pancreas of septic KO mice (p < 0.05, vs septic WT mice), with lower Bcl-2 and higher caspase-3 levels in septic KO mice (p < 0.05). Molecular analysis revealed increased NF-κB-p65 and phosphorylated IκB-α levels along with higher serum levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in septic KO mice compared to septic WT mice (p < 0.01). Furthermore, in vitro islet cultures stimulated with LPS produced higher TNF-α and IL-6 (p < 0.05) from KO mice compared to WT mice. Collectively, these results demonstrate SP-D plays protective roles by inhibiting apoptosis and modulating NF-κB-mediated inflammation in CLP-induced API.