Nuclear factor kappa B–dependent gene transcription in cholecystokinin- and tumor necrosis factor-α–stimulated isolated acinar cells is regulated by p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase

BackgroundMitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) are implicated in early stages of acute pancreatitis pathogenesis. We investigated the relationship between the p38 MAP kinase and NF-κB in isolated acinar cells.MethodsIsolated rodent acinar cells were stimulated with agonists after infection with an adenovector containing a luciferase promoter driven only by NF-κB and an adenovector containing the dominant negative (DN) form of p38 (empty vector in controls).ResultsInitial immunoblots confirmed that the agonist stimulated p38 activation in acinar cells was substantially attenuated by DN p38 overexpression. Stimulation of native cholecystokinin (CCK)-A receptors or tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) receptors promoted a significant increase in NF-κB-dependent gene transcription in cells infected with the empty vector, while overexpression of DN p38 significantly abrogated NF-κB-dependent luciferase activity.ConclusionsThese findings support our hypothesis that p38 is involved in the activation of proinflammatory nuclear transcription factors such as NF-κB in pancreatic exocrine cells.