Immunological Responses Involved In Promoting Acute and Chronic Pancreatitis

Pancreatitis is the inflammatory disease of pancreas induced by unusual food habit, alcohol abuse, and genetic defect in cationic trypsinogen gene. Initial occurrences are termed as acute pancreatitis and if proper consideration is not provided then leads to the chronic pancreatitis followed by fibrosis. During the complex process of pancreatitis several pro-inflammatory cells, cytokines and chemokines play very critical role in initiation and progression of the disease. The etiology of the eosinophilic pancreatitis (EP) is poorly understood and role of inflammatory cytokines, immune cells and its mediators are not well explored. The factors involved in promoting chronic pancreatitis from acute pancreatitis are completely unidentified that progresses into the pancreatic fibrosis and further leads to the pancreatic malignancy. Therefore, an urgent need to understand the immune mechanism involved in promoting pancreatitis. The current review provides a comprehensive understanding and crucial role of complex interwoven network of various immune related cell types such as neutrophils, eosinophils, mast cells, T cells, dendritic cells, pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF α, IL-1, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-13, IL-18, IL-33) and chemokines (MCP-1, MIF, CXCL-8, CXCL-1, Eotaxin-1, Eotaxin-2) in the development of pathogenesis of acute and chronic pancreatitis; that might be useful for scientists and physician to focus on the role of particular cell types and their associated mediators in pancreatitis pathogenesis. We hope that better understanding on the mechanism of the development of pancreatitis will help to design specific therapy to treat pancreatitis. Therefore, attention should be given to identify the focused immune mechanism that promotes pancreatitis in human.