AIM:To determine the NF-kB activity in peripheral bloodmononuclear calls(PBMC)in patients with acute cholangitisof severe type(ACST)and correlate the degree of NF-kBactivation with severity of biliary tract infection and clinicaloutcome.METHODS:Twenty patients with ACST were divided intosurvivor group(13 cases)and nonsurvivor group(7 cases).Other ten patients undergoing elective gastrectomy oringuinal hernia repair were selected as control group.Peripheral blood samples were taken 24 hourspostoperatively.PBMC were separated by density gradientcantrifugation,then nuclear proteins were isolated fromPBMC,and Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay(EMSA)used determined.The results were quantified by scanningdensitometer of a Bio-lmage Analysis System and expressedas relative optical density(ROD).The levels of TNF-α,IL-6,and IL-10 in the plasma of patients with ACST and healthycontrol subjects were determined by using an enzyme-linkedimmunoassay(ELISA).RESULTS:The NF-kB activity was 5.02±1.03 in nonsurvivorgroup,2.98±0.51 in survivor group and 1.06±0.34 incontrol group.There were statistical differences in threegroups(P<0.05).The levels of TNF-a and IL-6 in plasmawere(498±53)ng·L~(-1)and(587±64)ng·L~(-1)in nonsurvivorgroup,(284±32)ng·L~(-1)and(318±49)ng·L~(-1)in survivorgroup and(89±11)ng·L~(-1)and(102±13)ng·L~(-1)in controlgroup.All patients with ACST had increased levels of TNF-αand IL-6,which were many-fold greater than those ofcontrol group,and there was an evidence of significantlyhigher levels in those of nonsurvivor group than that insurvivor group(P<0.05).The levels of IL-10 in plasmaWere(378±32)ng·L~(-1),(384±37)ng·L~(-1)and(68±11)ng·L~(-1)in three groups,respectively.All patients had alsoincreased levels of IL-10 when compared with control group(P<0.05),but the IL-10 levels were not significantly higherin nonsurvivors than in survivors(P>0.05).CONCLUSION: NF-kB activity in PBMC in patients with ACST increases markedly and the degree of NF-kB activation is correlated with severity of biliary tract infection and clinical outcome. AIM: To determine the NF-kB activity in peripheral blood mononuclear calls (PBMC) in patients with acute cholangitis of severe type (ACST) and correlate the degree of NF-kB activation with severity of biliary tract infection and clinical outcome. METHODS: Twenty patients with ACST were divided intosurvivor group (13 cases) and nonsurvivor group (7 cases) .Other ten patients undergoing elective gastrectomy oringuinal hernia repair were selected as control group. Peripheral blood samples were taken 24 hours postoperatively. PBMC were separated by density gradientcantrifugation, then nuclear proteins were isolated fromPBMC, and Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay (EMSA) used determined.The results were quantified by scanningdensitometer of a Bio-lmage Analysis System and expressedas relative optical density (ROD). The levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL- 10 in the plasma of patients with ACST and healthy controls were determined by using an enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) .RESULTS: The NF-kB activity was 5.02 ± 1.0 3 in nonsurvivorgroup, 2.98 ± 0.51 in survivor group and 1.06 ± 0.34 incontrol group.There were statistical differences in three groups (P <0.05). The levels of TNF-a and IL-6 in plasmawere (498 ± 53) ng · L ~ (-1) and (587 ± 64) ng · L -1 in nonsurvivorgroup, (284 ± 32) ng · L -1 and (318 ± 49) ng · L -1 in survivorgroup and (89 ± 11) ng · L -1 and (102 ± 13) ng · L -1 in controlgroup. All patients with ACST had increased levels of TNF-αand IL-6, which were many- fold greater than those ofcontrol group, and there was an evidence of significantlyhigher levels in those of nonsurvivor group than that insurvivor group (P <0.05) .the levels of IL-10in plasmaWere (378 ± 32) ng · L -1 (384 ± 37) ng · L -1 and (68 ± 11) ng · L -1 in three groups, respectively. All patients had also increased levels of IL-10 when compared with control group ( P <0.05), but the IL-10 levels were not significantly higher in nonsurvivors than in survivors (P> 0.05) .CONCLUSION: NF-kB activity in PBMC in patients with ACST increases significantly and the degree of NF- kB activation is correlated with severity of biliary tract infection and clinical outcome.