[Role of polymorphonuclear neutrophil apoptosis and expression of Fas and caspase-3 in the systemic inflammatory response syndrome].

Objective: To study the role of the polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) apoptosis and expression of Fas and caspase-3 in the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS).

Methods: Eight acute pancreatitis patients with SIRS, 6 healthy control subjects were enrolled to study apoptosis of PMN in peripheral blood samples, expression of Fas/Fas ligand (FasL) and caspase-3 in the PMN, the levels of serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-8 were observed.

Results: Spontaneous apoptosis was significantly delayed in PMN from the SIRS patients with higher serum IL-6 and IL-8 levels compared with controls (both P<0.01). PMN apoptosis rate in peripheral blood of patients with SIRS was lowered than that of controls (P<0.01). The expressions of Fas and caspase-3 in the peripheral circulating PMN were higher in the controls than those in the SIRS patients (both P<0.01). Serum FasL expression was not found by Western blotting 24 hours after culture of PMN in vitro.

Conclusion: Peripheral circulating PMN from acute pancreatitis patients with SIRS show delayed apoptosis, decreased expressions of Fas and caspase-3, and prolonged PMN survival may contribute to the development of systemic inflammatory injury characteristic of SIRS.