Histopathological changes in the pancreas due to decreased pancreatic blood flow in a canine tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy model

Abstract

In dogs, pancreatic acinar cell injury is thought to be caused by decreased pancreatic blood flow due to heart failure. In previous our report, it demonstrated that decreased heart function causes a significant decrease in pancreatic blood flow in heart failure dog model caused by rapid ventricular pacing (RVP). However, the types of histopathological changes remain unclear. We aimed to verify the types of histopathological changes occurring in the pancreatic tissue due to decreased heart function. After RVP for 4 weeks, atrophy of pancreatic acinar cells, characterized by a decrease in zymogen granules, was observed in all areas of the pancreas. In conclusion, the result of this study suggests that attention should be paid to ischemia/hypoperfusion injury in the pancreas.

Protective Effect on Pancreatic Acinar Cell by Maintaining Cardiac Output in Canine Heart Failure Model With Decreased Pancreatic Blood Flow

“…Histopathological examination showed no changes in pancreatic tissue containing pancreatic acinar cells in the pimobendan group, in which CO and PBF were maintained. In contrast, in the control group, similar to previous reports, pancreatic acinar cell atrophy with a decrease in zymogen granules, and thus the trypsinogen contained therein, was observed over a wide area of the pancreas (7). Therefore, we concluded that a decrease in PBF was a direct cause of pancreatic acinar cell atrophy.…”

“…The findings of the study clarified that a decrease in CO lowers blood pressure and reduces PBF (6). Furthermore, examination of the pancreatic tissue revealed that pancreatic acinar cell atrophy, which is a change in the prestage of pancreatitis, was caused (7). However, the mechanism by which RVP causes pancreatic acinar cell atrophy in dogs remains unknown.…”

“…Therefore, we concluded that a decrease in PBF was a direct cause of pancreatic acinar cell atrophy. Pancreatic acinar cell atrophy due to the decrease in PBF most likely corresponds to the pre-stage histopathological changes caused by chronic pancreatitis (7,27). Moreover, the histopathological changes in pancreatic tissue may become more severe if the decrease in cardiac function and PBF is prolonged (7).…”

“…The procedure of pacemaker implantation and pancreatic tissue sampling, in addition to evaluation of cardiac function, PBF, and pancreatic tissue, were the same as described in our previous reports (6,7). Therefore, the methods for evaluating the cardiac function, PBF, and pancreatic tissue will only be briefly described here.…”

Heart Failure and Pancreas Exocrine Insufficiency: Pathophysiological Mechanisms and Clinical Point of View

“…Interestingly, this disproportionality is partially reversible with pharmacological renin-angiotensin inhibition [ 57 ]. Histopathological follow-up analyses of pancreatic tissue in the abovementioned dog model demonstrated atrophy of the acinar cells specifically [ 58 , 59 ], indicating that an association between the hemodynamic perturbations of heart failure and loss of exocrine parenchyma exists.…”