Tumor Protein D52 Regulates Paligenosis in Exocrine Pancreatic Acinar Cells

• Published in: Physiology (Bethesda, Md.) Md.), 2024-05, Vol.39 (S1)
• Main Authors: Cooley, Michelle, Thomas, Diana, Groblewski, Guy
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1548-9213; 1548-9221
• DOI: 10.1152/physiol.2024.39.S1.1850

Abstract only Background: Paligenosis is a conserved cellular plasticity program in which fully differentiated cells reenter the cell cycle in order to regenerate lost tissue during injury. This process is utilized by cells that have a slow turnover rate and lack dedicated stem cells, as is the case with exocrine pancreatic acinar cells. Acinar cells, which synthesize and secrete digestive enzymes necessary for macronutrient digestion, undergo paligenosis in response to damage induced by the inflammatory disease pancreatitis. During paligenosis, acinar cells first downscale their secretory apparatus by upregulating autophagy, and then take on a mucinous-ductal-progenitor-like identity in a process called acinar to ductal metaplasia (ADM) prior to proliferation. This phenomenon can be recapitulated in rodent models in vivo utilizing repeated episodes of cerulein-induced pancreatitis or in 18-hour suspension culture during which primary isolated acinar cells dedifferentiate to a progenitor-like state. We have previously reported that markers of the endolysosomal secretory pathway in acinar cells are rapidly lost during models of experimental pancreatitis and suspension culture. Tumor Protein D52, which regulates endolysosomal traffcking and secretion in acinar cells, undergoes lysosomal degradation at the onset of experimental pancreatitis; furthermore, restoring D52 expression by adenovirus in isolated acinar cells maintains secretion during experimental pancreatitis as well as maintains acinar differentiation in suspension culture. Hypothesis: Degradation of D52, and loss of the endolysosomal secretory pathway, are pivotal events during the initial stages of paligenosis. Methods: To study the role of D52 and the regulation of paligenosis, we generated tamoxifen-inducible, acinar specific D52 knockout mice (D52KOac), and markers of paligenosis (ADM, proliferation) were assessed by immunoblot, qPCR, and immunostaining. Mice were given tamoxifen at 2-3 months of age to ensure normal pancreatic development, and tissues were harvested 21 days after tamoxifen. Results: Compared to controls, D52KOac exhibited 2.5-fold upregulation of the ductal markers Sox9 and CK19, 50% reduction of Ptf1α, and a 5-fold increase in β-catenin; these markers signify the presence of ADM and cells with progenitor-like characteristics. Cell cycle regulation and proliferation were also observed in D52KOac by a nearly 3-fold increase in cyclin D and increased Ki67+ nuclei. Conclusions: