ALDH2 deficiency in pancreatic acinar cells aggravates acute pancreatitis by promoting NLRP3 inflammasome activation through autophagy

Figure 3 Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 deficiency in pancreatic acinar cells exacerbated acute pancreatitis severity and nod-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 inflammasome activation in mice. Acute pancreatitis (AP) was induced in pancreatic acinar cell-specific aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) knockout mice (Aldh2^fl/flCela1-Cre) and the wild-type mice (Aldh2^+/+) by seven intraperitoneal injections of caerulein (50 µg/kg). A: The expression of ALDH2 in pancreatic tissues of Aldh2^fl/flCela1-Cre mice and Aldh2^+/+ mice by immunoblotting (n = 3 per group); B: Representative hematoxylin and eosin staining images of pancreas and corresponding pathological scores in Aldh2^fl/flCela1-Cre mice and Aldh2^+/+ mice (n = 3 per group). Orange arrows denote inflammatory cells. Black arrows indicate vacuolization. Scale bar: 50 μm, magnification, 20 μm; C: Serum amylase, lipase, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and IL-18 levels of AP model in Aldh2^fl/flCela1-Cre mice and Aldh2^+/+ mice (n = 3 per group); D: Immunoblot analysis of nod-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3), apoptosis associated speck-like protein (ASC) and caspase-1 expression in pancreatic tissues from Aldh2^fl/flCela1-Cre mice and Aldh2^+/+ mice with AP (n = 3 per group); E: Immunofluorescence analysis of NLRP3 (red) - ASC (green) and NLRP3 (red) - caspase-1 (green) in pancreatic tissues from Aldh2^fl/flCela1-Cre mice and Aldh2^+/+ mice with AP. Scale bar: 20 μm, magnification, 10 μm. ^aP < 0.05, ^bP < 0.01, ^cP < 0.001. AMY: Amylase; LPS: Lipase; ALDH2: Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2; IL: Interleukin; NLRP3: Nod-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3; ASC: Associated speck-like protein.