BOTH ETHANOL AND PROTEIN-DEFICIENCY INCREASE MESSENGER-RNA LEVELS FORPANCREATIC LITHOSTATHINE

Both ethanol abuse and protein deficiency are well known associations of chronic pancreatitis. An early event in chronic pancreatitis is the deposition of protein plugs in small pancreatic ducts, leading to duc tular obstruction and acinar cell damage. Lithostathine, a pancreatic secretory protein, is a major organic component of protein plugs. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of chronic ethanol admin istration and dietary protein deficiency, separately and in combinatio n, on messenger RNA (mRNA) levels for pancreatic lithostathine. Male S prague-Dawley rats were fed in groups of four, for four weeks, protein sufficient and protein deficient diets with or without ethanol. Messe nger RNA levels for pancreatic lithostathine were assessed in all four groups. Both ethanol and protein deficiency, separately and in combin ation, increased mRNA levels for lithostathine. Thus, both chronic eth anol consumption and dietary protein deficiency increase the capacity of the pancreatic acinar cell to synthesize lithostathine.