Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C1389183 (autodigestion)
 317 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Expression of inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor light chain (ITI-LC, also known as bikunin or urinary trypsin inhibitor) was examined in various human tissues. By reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, the mRNA was detected not only in the liver, a known site of ITI-LC production, but also in the kidney, heart, lung, and pancreas. By RNA blot analysis, the mRNA was also detected in the pancreas and liver, but not in the kidney, heart, or lung. The ITI-LC protein was immunohistochemically detected along the surface of pancreatic acinar cells. These results indicate the apparent expression of the gene for ITI-LC in the pancreas. ITI-LC protein on the surface of pancreatic acinar cells may play an important role in preventing autodigestion by exocrine enzymes such as trypsinogen and chymotrypsinogen.
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PMID:Expression of inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor light chain (bikunin) in human pancreas. 888 10

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a continuing or relapsing inflammatory disease of the pancreas. In approximately one-third of all cases, no aetiological factor can be found, and these patients are classified as having idiopathic disease. Pathophysiologically, autodigestion and inflammation may be caused by either increased proteolytic activity or decreased protease inhibition. Several studies have demonstrated mutations in the cationic trypsinogen gene (PRSS1) in patients with hereditary or idiopathic CP. It is thought that these mutations result in increased trypsin activity within the pancreatic parenchyma. Most patients with idiopathic or hereditary CP, however, do not have mutations in PRSS1 (ref. 4). Here we analysed 96 unrelated children and adolescents with CP for mutations in the gene encoding the serine protease inhibitor, Kazal type 1 (SPINK1), a pancreatic trypsin inhibitor. We found mutations in 23% of the patients. In 18 patients, 6 of whom were homozygous, we detected a missense mutation of codon 34 (N34S). We also found four other sequence variants. Our results indicate that mutations in SPINK1 are associated with chronic pancreatitis.
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PMID:Mutations in the gene encoding the serine protease inhibitor, Kazal type 1 are associated with chronic pancreatitis. 1083 40

It is now generally believed that pancreatitis results from pancreatic autodigestion. An inappropriate conversion of pancreatic zymogens to active enzymes within the pancreatic parenchyma is thought to initiate the inflammatory process. A key role has been attributed to the activation of trypsinogen to trypsin, converting all proteolytic proenzymes to their active form. Several gain-of-function mutations in the cationic trypsinogen gene (PRSS1) have been identified in patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP). These mutations lead to enhanced intrapancreatic trypsinogen activation. In contrast, a variant in the anionic trypsinogen (PRSS2) gene, p.G191R, has been described that mitigates intrapancreatic trypsin activity and thereby plays a protective role. Beside trypsinogen mutations, loss-of-function variants in SPINK1, encoding a pancreatic trypsin inhibitor, are strongly associated with idiopathic CP. Approximately 15-40% of patients with so-called idiopathic CP carry p.N34S on one allele or on both alleles. Chymotrypsin C (CTRC) degrades all human trypsin isoforms with high specificity. Two CTRC alterations, p.R254W and p.K247_R254del, are significantly associated with idiopathic as well as alcohol-related CP. Functional analysis of the variants revealed impaired activity and/or reduced secretion. Thus, loss-of-function mutations in CTRC predispose to pancreatitis by diminishing its protective trypsin-degrading activity. Albeit the association between CFTR, the gene mutated in cystic fibrosis, and idiopathic CP is now well established, the pathogenic mechanisms are poorly understood. Nearly 25-30% of patients carry at least one CFTR mutation, but few patients only were compound-heterozygous. Several patients, however, are trans-heterozygous for a CFTR alteration and a PRSS1, SPINK1, or CTRC variant, respectively.
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PMID:Genetics of pancreatitis: a guide for clinicians. 2152 53

Intestinal ischemia is associated with high morbidity and mortality, but the underlying mechanisms are uncertain. We hypothesize that during ischemia the intestinal mucosal barrier becomes disrupted, allowing digestive enzymes access into the intestinal wall initiating autodigestion. We used a rat model of splanchnic ischemia by occlusion of the superior mesenteric and celiac arteries up to 30 min with and without luminal injection of tranexamic acid as a trypsin inhibitor. We determined the location and activity of digestive proteases on intestinal sections with in situ zymography, and we examined the disruption of two components of the mucosal barrier: mucin isoforms and the extracellular and intracellular domains of E cadherin with immunohistochemistry and Western blot techniques. The results indicate that nonischemic intestine has low levels of protease activity in its wall. After 15-min ischemia, protease activity was visible at the tip of the villi, and after 30 min, enhanced activity was seen across the full thickness of the intestinal wall. This activity was accompanied by disruption of the mucin layer and loss of both intracellular and extracellular domains of E cadherin. Digestive protease inhibition in the intestinal lumen with tranexamic acid reduced morphological damage and entry of digestive enzymes into the intestinal wall. This study demonstrates that disruption of the mucosal epithelial barrier within minutes of intestinal ischemia allows entry of fully activated pancreatic digestive proteases across the intestinal barrier triggering autodigestion.
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PMID:Disruption of the mucosal barrier during gut ischemia allows entry of digestive enzymes into the intestinal wall. 2208 98

The focus of the review is on roles of autophagy and pancreatic secretory trypsin inhibitor (PSTI), an endogenous trypsin inhibitor, in trypsinogen activation in acute pancreatitis. Acute pancreatitis is a disease in which tissues in and around the pancreas are autodigested by pancreatic digestive enzymes. This reaction is triggered by the intrapancreatic activation of trypsinogen. Autophagy causes trypsinogen and cathepsin B, a trypsinogen activator, to colocalize within the autolysosomes. Consequently, if the resultant trypsin activity exceeds the inhibitory activity of PSTI, the pancreatic digestive enzymes are activated, and they cause autodigestion of the acinar cells. Thus, autophagy and PSTI play important roles in the development and suppression of acute pancreatitis, respectively.
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PMID:Roles of Autophagy and Pancreatic Secretory Trypsin Inhibitor in Trypsinogen Activation in Acute Pancreatitis. 3228 61