Mitochondrial function and dynamics during selective autophagy in acute pancreatitis

VANASCO VIRGINIA; ALVAREZ SILVIA; GRASSO DANIEL; ROPOLO ALEJANDRO; VACCARO MARÍA INÉS

Buenos Aires

Congreso; III International Congress in translational medicine; 2016

International Master/PhD Program in Biomedical Sciences (Universidad de Buenos Aires - Albert-Ludwings University of Freiburg)

The selective autophagic pathway, zymophagy, is an early protective mechanism in acute pancreatitis (AP). Mitochondria, as ATP source and other biological molecules, are necessary for autophagy in order to maintain mitochondrial bioenergetics for sustaining an adequate autophagic flux during disease response. The aim was to analyze mitochondrial dynamics and function during selective autophagy induced by AP in animal and cellular models. Female Sprague-Dawley rats (45 days old) were ip injected with 50mg/kg caerulein (CAE) during 1h intervals. Zymophagy induced by AP was analysed through VMP1, P62 and LC3 expression. For mitochondrial dynamics, OPA1 and DRP1 expressions were determined. OPA1 expression (mitochondrial fusion protein) was significantly decreased after 1 h of pancreatitis, but a time-dependent increase was observed up to 48 h afterwards. Moreover, no expression of DRP1 (mitochondrial fission protein) was observed during the first 24 h of PA. Mitochondrial function was assessed by determining respiration and mitochondrial ATP synthesis. Mitochondrial O2 consumption and ATP production decreased by 35% and 70% respectively (CG: 40±5 ng-atO/min.mg protein; 140±18 nmol ATP/ min.mg.protein, P