Effects of cannabinoids WIN and O-1602 on expression of HSPs in mice with colitis or acute pancreatitis

AIM: To investigate the effects of cannabinoids WIN55, 212-2 (WIN) and O-1602 on the expression of heat-shock proteins (HSPs), such as HSP27, HSP60 and HSP70, in the inflammatory tissues of mice with experimental colitis or acute pancreatitis (AP). METHODS: Mouse colitis was induced by feeding the C57/BL with 4% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) for 7 d, and AP was induced by intraperitoneal injection of ceruline in the mice (50 μg/kg hourly, with a total of 6 times). The mice were intraperitoneally administered with WIN or O-1602 for the therapeutic evaluation by observing the following parameters: pathological changes of the tissues, plasma activity of amylase, plasma levels of IL-6 and cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant-1 (CINC-1), and HSP expression in the colonic and pancreatic tissues. RESULTS: Compared with normal control mice, the colonic tissues from colitis mice and the pancreatic tissues from AP mice appeared obvious signs of inflammation and injury. The plasma levels of IL-6 and CINC-1 significantly increased in colitis mice and AP mice. In DSS group of colitis mice, HSP27 expression increased, but HSP60 and HSP70 were reduced in the colonic tissues. WIN showed anti-inflammatory effects on the pathological changes of colonic tissues and the plasma cytokine levels. WIN also improved the expression of HSP70 (P<0.05). In AP group, the expression of HSP27 and HSP70 in pancreatic tissues increased, and HSP60 decreased. O-1602 also showed some anti-inflammatory effects on the changes of the pathological tissues and the plasma parameters, but had no obvious effects on the HSP expression (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The experimental colitis and acute pancreatitis in mice were induced by feeding DSS and injection of cerulein, respectively. The changes of HSP expression were different in the inflammatory tissues. WIN and O-1602 show anti-inflammatory effects and increase the expression of several HSPs to some extent.