title: Arginine induces apoptosis and gene expression of pancreatitis-associated protein (PAP) in rat pancreatic acinar AR4-2J cells.
abstract: Arginine-induced pancreatic acinar cell injury has been reported in vivo, but the mechanism involved is unknown. In this study we investigated the effects of arginine on the cell morphology and pancreatitis-associated protein (PAP) gene expression in rat pancreatic acinar AR4-2J cells in vitro. Arginine inhibited the proliferation of AR4-2J cells in a dose-dependent manner. This decrease in proliferation was due to an increase in apoptosis, as assessed by cell morphology and DNA fragmentation. PAP messenger RNA (mRNA) was expressed at doses of 2.5 and 5.0 mg/ml of arginine, and a time-course study showed that the expression started 2 h after arginine addition and peaked at 6 h. Apoptosis was rarely seen when PAP mRNA was highly expressed, but occurred when PAP mRNA expression was decreased. These results suggest that arginine induces apoptosis and PAP gene expression in pancreatic acinar cells and that PAP might inhibit the induction of apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology, Cancer Research Institute, Kanazawa University, Japan. motoo@kenroku.kanazawa-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Motoo
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Taga
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sawabu
mesh_terms: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001120:Arginine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018267:Carcinoma, Acinar Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects*; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D019283:Pancreatitis, Acute Necrotizing / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology; D000073718:Pancreatitis-Associated Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D000073718:Pancreatitis-Associated Proteins; C000612141:REG3A protein, human; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; C000612144:Reg3b protein, rat; D001120:Arginine