Phospholipase A2 in acute pancreatitis: review

Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) is a key enzyme in the generation of prostanoids that are important mediators of inflammation. Review of recent literature on the involvement of PLA2 in acute pancreatitis (AP). Pancreatic group IB PLA2 mediates local pancreatic cell injury but not distant organ damage. Nonpancreatic group (G) IIA PLA2 is an acute-phase protein that functions in defense against infection and removal of injured cells but is quite harmless to uninjured cells. The concentration of GIIA PLA2 in serum correlates with the severity of AP. PLA2 inhibitors are effective in the therapy of experimental AP but have not penetrated to clinical use as drugs to treat the human disease. Specific immunoassays have been developed for the measurement of both GIB PLA2 and GIIA PLA2 in serum. The former assay is a method suitable for detecting pancreatic injury and the latter to assess the severity of AP.