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Expression of galectin-3 in the rat pancreas during regeneration following hormone-induced pancreatitis

Cell and Tissue Research volume 315, pages 321–329 (2004)Cite this article

Abstract

Supramaximal dosage of the cholecystokinin analog caerulein leads to edematous pancreatitis with subsequent acinar cell destruction predominantly by apoptosis. We have used immunohistochemistry to reveal the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein galectin-3 in pancreatic acinar cells. Galectin-3, which occurs only in duct cells under physiological conditions, is expressed in a subset of acinar cells after the end of a 12-h caerulein infusion, giving rise to a “patchy” staining pattern. During the subsequent period of inflammation and regeneration, galectin-3 expression increases in those acinar cells that undergo apoptosis. By 48 h after the end of caerulein infusion, morphologically normal cells do not contain galectin-3 and participate in regeneration by proliferation. Tubular complexes, being transient structures from degenerative acini, accumulate galectin-3 in the remnants of the epithelium cells. Stimulation with supramaximal dosages of caerulein of the cell line AR4–2J, which is derived from rat pancreatic acinar cells, also results in a marked increase of galectin-3, confirming the in vivo results. We postulate that the high expression of the anti-apoptotic protein galectin-3 regulates the time course of the apoptotic process in pancreatic acinar cells.

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Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge the expert technical assistance of Ursula Lehr and the preparation of the photographic reprints by Volkwin Kramer.

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Affiliations

  1. Institut für Zytobiologie und Zytopathologie, Philipps University of Marburg, Robert-Koch-Strasse 6, 35033, Marburg, Germany

    Anneli Gebhardt, Waltraud Ackermann, Nadime Ünver & Hans-Peter Elsässer

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  1. Anneli Gebhardt
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  2. Waltraud Ackermann
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  3. Nadime Ünver
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  4. Hans-Peter Elsässer
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Correspondence to Hans-Peter Elsässer.

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Gebhardt, A., Ackermann, W., Ünver, N. et al. Expression of galectin-3 in the rat pancreas during regeneration following hormone-induced pancreatitis. Cell Tissue Res 315, 321–329 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-003-0850-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-003-0850-x

Keywords

  • Pancreatitis
  • Caerulein
  • Galectin-3
  • Apoptosis
  • AR4–2J cells
  • Rat (Wistar)