Membrane Proteome Analysis of Cerulein-Stimulated Pancreatic Acinar Cells: Implication for Early Event of Acute Pancreatitis

Abstract

Cerulein pancreatitis is similar to human edematous pancreatitis with dysregulation of the production and secretion of digestive enzymes, edema formation, cytoplasmic vacuolization and the death of acinar cells. We hypothesized that membrane proteins may be altered as the early event during the induction of acute pancreatitis. Present study aims to determine the differentially expressed proteins in the membranes of cerulein-treated pancreatic acinar cells. Pancreatic acinar AR42J cells were treated with 10(-8) M cerulein for 1 hour. Membrane proteins were isolated from the cells and separated by two-dimensional electrophoresis using pH gradients of 5-8. Membrane proteins were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) analysis of the peptide digests. The differentially expressed proteins, whose expression levels were more or less than three-fold in cerulein-treated cells, were analyzed. Two differentially expressed proteins (mannan-binding lectin-associated serine protease-2, heat shock protein 60) were up-regulated while four proteins (protein disulfide isomerase, gamma-actin, isocitrate dehydrogenase 3, seven in absentia homolog 1A) were down-regulated by cerulein treatment in pancreatic acinar cells. These proteins are related to cell signaling, oxidative stress, and cytoskeleton arrangement. Oxidative stress may induce cerulein-induced cell injury and disturbances in defense mechanism in pancreatic acinar cells.