title: Both ethanol and protein deficiency increase messenger RNA levels for pancreatic lithostathine.
abstract: Both ethanol abuse and protein deficiency are well known associations of chronic pancreatitis. An early event in chronic pancreatitis is the deposition of protein plugs in small pancreatic ducts, leading to ductular obstruction and acinar cell damage. Lithostathine, a pancreatic secretory protein, is a major organic component of protein plugs. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of chronic ethanol administration and dietary protein deficiency, separately and in combination, on messenger RNA (mRNA) levels for pancreatic lithostathine. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed in groups of four, for four weeks, protein sufficient and protein deficient diets with or without ethanol. Messenger RNA levels for pancreatic lithostathine were assessed in all four groups. Both ethanol and protein deficiency, separately and in combination, increased mRNA levels for lithostathine. Thus, both chronic ethanol consumption and dietary protein deficiency increase the capacity of the pancreatic acinar cell to synthesize lithostathine.
authors.affiliation: Gastrointestinal Unit, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Apte
authors.forename: I D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Norton
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Haber
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: McCaughan
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Korsten
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Pirola
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D051847:Lithostathine; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010179:Pancreas / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D011488:Protein Deficiency / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D051847:Lithostathine; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C497616:Reg1a protein, rat; D000431:Ethanol