title: Role of bone marrow cells in the development of pancreatic fibrosis in a rat model of pancreatitis induced by a choline-deficient/ethionine-supplemented diet.
abstract: Bone marrow cell (BMC)-derived myofibroblast-like cells have been reported in various organs, including the pancreas. However, the contribution of these cells to pancreatic fibrosis has not been fully discussed. The present study examined the possible involvement of pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) originating from BMCs in the development of pancreatic fibrosis in a clinically relevant rat model of acute pancreatitis induced by a choline-deficient/ethionine-supplemented (CDE) diet. BMCs from female transgenic mice ubiquitously expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) were transplanted into lethally irradiated male rats. Once chimerism was established, acute pancreatitis was induced by a CDE diet. Chronological changes in the number of PSCs originating from the donor BMCs were examined using double immunofluorescence for GFP and markers for PSCs, such as desmin and alpha smooth muscle actin (αSMA), 1, 3 and 8 weeks after the initiation of CDE feeding. We also used immunohistochemical staining to evaluate whether the PSCs from the BMCs produce growth factors, such as platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and transforming growth factor (TGF) β1. The percentage of BMC-derived activated PSCs increased significantly, peaking after 1 week of CDE treatment (accounting for 23.3±0.9% of the total population of activated PSCs) and then decreasing. These cells produced both PDGF and TGFβ1 during the early stage of pancreatic fibrosis. Our results suggest that PSCs originating from BMCs contribute mainly to the early stage of pancreatic injury, at least in part, by producing growth factors in a rat CDE diet-induced pancreatitis model.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Shinshu University School of Medicine, 3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto, Nagano 390-8621, Japan.
authors.forename: Shingo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akita
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kubota
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Ryosuke
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Misawa
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Takenari
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakata
authors.forename: Takahide
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.forename: Masafumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miyagawa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D046528:Chimerism; D002796:Choline Deficiency / Q000150:complications; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000009:adverse effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005001:Ethionine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D005355:Fibrosis; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D010179:Pancreas / Q000473:pathology*; D058954:Pancreatic Stellate Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D005001:Ethionine