Abstract
Intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis is commonly disrupted in acute pancreatitis. Sustained Ca2+ release from internal stores in pancreatic acinar cells (PACs), mediated by inositol triphosphate receptor (IP3R) and the ryanodine receptor (RyR), plays a key role in the initiation and propagation of acute pancreatitis. Pancreatitis induced by cerulein, an analogue of cholecystokinin, causes premature activation of digestive enzymes and enhanced accumulation of cytokines and Ca2+ in the pancreas and, as such, it is a good model of acute pancreatitis. High concentrations of the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) inhibit inflammatory signaling pathways and cytokine expression in PACs treated with cerulein. In the present study, we determined the effect of DHA on key regulators of Ca2+ signaling in cerulein-treated pancreatic acinar AR42 J cells. The results of RNA-Sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis showed that cerulein up-regulates the expression of IP3R1 and RyR2 genes, and that pretreatment with DHA blocks these effects. The results of real-time PCR confirmed that DHA inhibits cerulein-induced IP3R1 and RyR2 gene expression, and demonstrated that DHA pre-treatment decreases the expression of the Relb gene, which encodes a component of the nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) transcriptional activator complex, and the c-fos gene, which encodes a component of activator protein-1 (AP-1) transcriptional activator complex. Taken together, DHA inhibits mRNA expression of IP3R1, RyR2, Relb, and c-fos, which is related to Ca2+ network in cerulein-stimulated PACs.
Highlights
Acute pancreatitis is an inflammatory disease that results in organ dysfunction
Pre-treatment decreases the expression of the Relb gene, which encodes a component of the nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) transcriptional activator complex, and the c-fos gene, which encodes a component of activator protein-1 (AP-1) transcriptional activator complex
docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) inhibits mRNA expression of IP3R1, RyR2, Relb, and c-fos, which is related to Ca2+ network in cerulein-stimulated pancreatic acinar cells (PACs)
Summary
Acute pancreatitis is an inflammatory disease that results in organ dysfunction. This disease is caused by abnormal activation and release of digestive enzymes and it is characterized by increased cytokine release and oxidative stress [1]. Elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines and free radical products are commonly observed in animal models of acute pancreatitis as well as in individuals inflicted by the disease [2,3]. The disruption of calcium signaling in PACs that occurs during acute pancreatitis is well characterized [5,6]. The gastrointestinal peptide cholecystokinin (CCK) causes the release of pancreatic digestive enzymes and the growth of the normal pancreas.
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