Objective      To study whether specific cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor NS398 can inhibit the expression of P-selectin (Ps) and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) in rats with ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury following pancreaticoduodenal transplantation.       Methods      Seventy-five SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation group (n=15)

transplantation group (n=30)

and transplantation+NS398 group (n=30). Blood samples were taken from 3 groups at 1

3 and 6 h after operation. Serum amy-lase level was measured. Pancreatic lesion was observed under light microscope. Expression of Ps and ICAM-1 in pancreatic tissue was detected by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry

respectively.       Results      The pancrea-tic tissue injury was not significant and the serum amylase level was not elevated in sham operation group at different time points (P0.05)

which were aggravated with the prolongation of reperfusion (P0.05). The pancreatic tissue injury was severer and the serum amylase level was lower in transplantation+NS398 group than in transplantation group (P0.05). Ps and ICAM-1 were not expressed in sham operation group but expressed in transplantation group and transplantation+NS398 group at different time points. However

the expression levels of Ps and ICAM-1 were significantly lower in transplantation+NS398 group than in sham operation group (P0.05).       Conclusion      NS398 can inhibit the expression of ICAM-1 and PS in rats with I/R injury and protect rats against I/R injury following pancreaticoduodenal transplantation.