Treatment for pancreatitis may become easier after scientists recently identified a potential new target for the disease.
Pancreatitis is often a fatal condition, in which the pancreas digests itself and surrounding tissue.
Pancreatitis
Pancreatitis or inflammation of the pancreas may show up as acute pancreatitis or chronic pain. Alcohol consumption is the main offender. Treatment requires hospitalization and at times surgery.
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Scientists have previously found that alcohol can trigger the condition by combining with fatty acids in the pancreas, which leads to an excessive release of stored calcium ions.
Once calcium ions enter cell fluid in the pancreas it activates digestive enzymes and damages the cells.
The team, in collaboration with the RIKEN Brain Science Institute in Japan, have now identified channels within special stores that allow calcium to enter the fluid inside pancreatic cells.
![Study Redefines Roles of Alcohol, Smoking in Risk for Pancreatitis]( "Study Redefines Roles of Alcohol, Smoking in Risk for Pancreatitis")
Although alcohol consumption is known to be associated with chronic pancreatitis, new study indicates that five or more drinks per day is required to raise risk.
They have also found that toxic calcium release can be significantly reduced if the gene responsible for the production of these channels is 'deleted'.
"The pancreas releases enzymes into the gut, where they become activated and digest our food. When these digestive enzymes are activated inside the cells, however, they start to digest the pancreas itself, causing serious damage and often death," Professor Ole Petersen, from the University's School of Biomedical Sciences, said.
"Alcohol is widely recognised as one of the triggers for this process, but the reasons behind it have been unclear.
"We now know that alcohol, in combination with fatty acids, can produce substances that cause an excessive increase in calcium ions in the pancreatic cell water.
"We have found that this excessive build-up is caused by the movement of calcium ions from special calcium stores into the cell water, which activate digestive enzymes from within the cell.
"Our new research identifies the channels through which calcium movement occurs and importantly the genes which are responsible for the production of these channels.
"This work highlights the dangers of excessive drinking; the higher the levels of alcohol in the blood, the higher the risk of pancreatitis. Now that we have identified the genes that can control the condition, we should be able to develop more successful treatments for the disease," Petersen added.
Source: ANI
TAN
The team, in collaboration with the RIKEN Brain Science Institute in Japan, have now identified channels within special stores that allow calcium to enter the fluid inside pancreatic cells.
Study Redefines Roles of Alcohol, Smoking in Risk for Pancreatitis
Although alcohol consumption is known to be associated with chronic pancreatitis, new study indicates that five or more drinks per day is required to raise risk.
Advertisement
They have also found that toxic calcium release can be significantly reduced if the gene responsible for the production of these channels is 'deleted'.
"The pancreas releases enzymes into the gut, where they become activated and digest our food. When these digestive enzymes are activated inside the cells, however, they start to digest the pancreas itself, causing serious damage and often death," Professor Ole Petersen, from the University's School of Biomedical Sciences, said.
"Alcohol is widely recognised as one of the triggers for this process, but the reasons behind it have been unclear.
"We now know that alcohol, in combination with fatty acids, can produce substances that cause an excessive increase in calcium ions in the pancreatic cell water.
"We have found that this excessive build-up is caused by the movement of calcium ions from special calcium stores into the cell water, which activate digestive enzymes from within the cell.
"Our new research identifies the channels through which calcium movement occurs and importantly the genes which are responsible for the production of these channels.
"This work highlights the dangers of excessive drinking; the higher the levels of alcohol in the blood, the higher the risk of pancreatitis. Now that we have identified the genes that can control the condition, we should be able to develop more successful treatments for the disease," Petersen added.
Source: ANI
TAN
Antioxidative Supplementation Effective in Relieving Pain of Patients With Chronic Pancreatitis
Antioxidative supplementation has been found effective in relieving pain of patients with chronic pancreatitis.
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New Pancreatitis Treatments may be Spawned by StudyThe condition in which the pancreas digests itself and surrounding tissue is often fatal and is called pancreatitis. | Advertisement
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