Alterations in the glycoconjugates of pancreatic cell membrane induced by acute pancreatitis

The alterations that progressively appear in plasma membrane glycoconjugate s of rat pancreatic cells at different stages of acute pancreatitis induced by duct obstruction have been analyzed on individual cells by flow cytomet ry using the fluoresceinated lectins, wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), Tetragon olobus purpureus agglutinin (TP) and Concanavalin A (Con A), which specific ally bind to N-acetyl D-glucosamine, L-fucose and D-mannose, respectively. Two populations of pancreatic cells were differentiated according to the fo rward scatter (size), which showed different density of saccharidic termina ls located at external positions in the glycoconjugates of the plasma membr ane. A significant increase in WGA and TP binding,vas found 1.5 h after pan creatic obstruction, which could be due to the fusion of zymogen granules w ith the plasma membrane as suggested by the basolateral exocytosis observed by electron microscopy at this stage. The most external sugar residues of membrane glycoconjugates are removed 12 h after pancreatic duct obstruction as a consequence of an advanced state of pancreatitis. The hydrolytic proc ess reaches greater depths in the membrane 48 h after obstruction. At this stage a significant decrease in WGA, TP and ConA binding was found in all p ancreatic cells, indicating the loss of N-acetyl D-glucosamine and/or siali c acid, L-fucose and even D-mannose which is located in the core of the gly can. The results provide information about the progressive degradation indu ced by acute pancreatitis in pancreatic cell membrane glycoconjugates.