The effects of the adenosine A3 receptor agonist IB-MECA on sodium taurocholate-induced experimental acute pancreatitis

The role of adenosine A3 receptors and their distribution in the gastrointestinal tract have been widely investigated. Most of the reports discuss their role in intestinal inflammations. However, the role of adenosine A3 receptor agonist in pancreatitis has not been well established. The aim of this study is (Ed note: Purpose statements should be in present tense) to evaluate the effects of the adenosine A3 receptor agonist on the course of sodium taurocholate-induced experimental acute pancreatitis (EAP). The experiments were performed on 80 male Wistar rats, 58 of which survived, subdivided into 3 groups: C—control rats, I—EAP group, and II—EAP group treated with the adenosine A3 receptor agonist IB-MECA (1-deoxy-1-6[[(3-iodophenyl) methyl]amino]-9H-purin-9-yl)- N -methyl-B- d -ribofuronamide at a dose of 0.75 mg/kg b.w. i.p. at 48, 24, 12 and 1 h before and 1 h after the injection of 5 % sodium taurocholate solution into the biliary–pancreatic duct. Serum for α-amylase and lipase determinations and tissue samples for morphological examinations were collected at 2, 6, and 24 h of the experiment. In the IB-MECA group, α-amylase activity was decreased with statistically high significance compared to group I. The activity of lipase was not significantly different among the experimental groups but higher than in the control group. The administration of IB-MECA attenuated the histological parameters of inflammation as compared to untreated animals. The use of A3 receptor agonist IB-MECA attenuates EAP. Our findings suggest that stimulation of adenosine A3 receptors plays a positive role in the sodium taurocholate-induced EAP in rats.