Overexpression of caspase-1 (interleukin-1beta converting enzyme) in chronic pancreatitis and its participation in apoptosis and proliferation.
Caspase-1, formerly designated interleukin-1beta converting enzyme, was the first described member of a group of cysteine proteases called caspases. It is suggested that caspases play an important role in apoptosis, but recent observations could show that caspase-1 might also be involved in cellular proliferation. We investigated the expression of caspase-1 in 38 chronic pancreatitis tissues, six pancreatitis tissues from patients with pancreatic carcinoma and nine normal pancreatic tissues by immunohistochemistry. Western blot analysis was used to confirm the immunohistochemical findings. We found a clear expression of caspase-1 in chronic pancreatitis, but not in normal pancreatic tissues. Interestingly, we found expression of caspase-1 in three distinct morphologic compartments: (i) in atrophic acinar cells (31 of 35; 89%), (ii) proliferating cells of ductal origin (33 of 38; 87%), and (iii) in acinar cells redifferentiating to form tubular structures (26 of 31; 83%). These immunohistochemical findings were confirmed by Western blot analysis, which showed an expression of caspase-1 in 85% of the tissues. No correlation was found between any of the examined clinicopathologic features and the caspase-1 expression in chronic pancreatitis. In conclusion, the expression of caspase-1 is a frequent event in chronic pancreatitis and its distribution pattern may reflect two functions of this protease: on one hand its participation in the apoptotic pathway in atrophic acinar cells and, on the other hand, its role in proliferation and differentiation in proliferating duct cells.
Ramadani
M
M
Department of General Surgery, University of Ulm, Germany.
Yang
Y
Y
Gansauge
F
F
Gansauge
S
S
Beger
H G
HG
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D017209:Apoptosis; D015153:Blotting, Western; D020170:Caspase 1 / Q000032:analysis*; D002455:Cell Division; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D020170:Caspase 1