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

Figure 4 Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 deficiency in pancreatic acinar cells exacerbated accumulation of autophagic substrates in murine acute pancreatitis models. Acute pancreatitis (AP) was induced in pancreatic acinar cell-specific aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 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 P62 and microtubule-associated protein light chain 3B (LC3B) in pancreatic tissues of Aldh2^fl/flCela1-Cre mice and Aldh2^+/+ mice by immunoblotting (n = 3 per group); B: Immunofluorescence analysis of P62 and LC3B in acinar cells of pancreatic tissues from Aldh2^fl/flCela1-Cre mice and Aldh2^+/+ mice with AP (n = 3 per group). Scale bar: 20 μm, magnification, 10 μm. MIST-1 is used as a marker of acinar cells; C: Representative transmission electron microscopy images and quantitative analysis in pancreatic tissue from Aldh2^fl/flCela1-Cre mice and Aldh2^+/+ mice with AP. Arrows denote autophagic vesicles. Scale bar: 5 μm. ^aP < 0.05, ^bP < 0.01. Aldh2^fl/flCela1-Cre: Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 knockout mice.