Background/Aims: High-fat diets contribute to pancreatic fibrogenesis, but the pathogenesis remains unclear. This study investigated the role of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) in high-fat diet-induced pancreatic fi brosis in rats. Methods: Male Wista...
Background/Aims: High-fat diets contribute to pancreatic fibrogenesis, but the pathogenesis remains unclear. This study investigated the role of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) in high-fat diet-induced pancreatic fi brosis in rats. Methods: Male Wistar rats were fed a high-fat diet or standard normal chow for 20 weeks. Pancreatic fibrosis was determined by Sirius red staining. Immunohistochemical staining, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting were used to identify NF-κB-associated genes or protein expressions. Results: Infl ammation, fat deposition, pancreatic stellate cell activation and fi brosis were observed in the pancreases of the high-fat diet group. NF-κB subunit p65 (NF-κB/ p65) expression was localized to the nucleus, and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) was over-expressed. Pancreatic gene expression levels of NF-κB/p65, ICAM-1 and tumor necrosis factor α were all elevated signifi cantly in rats fed a high-fat diet compared with control rats. Western blotting also revealed signifi cantly increased levels of ICAM-1 and nuclear NF-κB/p65 in rats fed high-fat diets comparison with control rats. Conclusions: NF-κB is involved in high-fat diet-related pancreatic fi brosis. (Gut Liver 2012;6:381-387)